The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-06-14
AAR.BORS SERPENT
/ IN ITS BOSOM.
ItaIy's government. Owned Railway
System May Turn and Bite
With Deadly
Effect.
IN CASE or A STRIKE
Il Would Take a. Many Soldiers to
Put Disturbance Down, 4.
Required by
War.
IN CASE or A STRIKE

by Henry Wood. Rome Correspond
ent of the United Press.J
4 ROME. June 14.-Italy has Just dis
covered that in its carefully nurtured
system of aforementioned rail-
ways, 1t has been harboring in its
bosom serpent that not only can but
may at any moment turn and sting it
to death. This rather unccomforta-
Bile realization came about as the re-
suit OF the recent threatened strike
|of the $4,000 employees who now
draw salaries from the state through
their railway connection. The latter
suddenly crystallized very much like
a hostile army in the very heart OF
the country. In fact they gave ample
demonstration that they could do
more towards reducing Italy to quick
starvation and surrender than an out
side invading army of the same size
could possibly hope to do.
Thanks to the vigorous measures
taken by the government, the threat
ened strike did not get further than
the talk stage. Yet, before 1t was
finally called OIL, Italy was forced to
realize that she has created within
herself power that can rise at any
moment and by paralizing the entire
industrial life of the country paralize
also the government itself.
1t may be safely be said that the
measures taken by Italy when the
strike was still threatening were far
more gigantic and comprehensive
than those she took in advance for
her conquest Of Tripoli This alone
was taken as fair indication Of how
serious a situation the railway men
were in q position to precipitate.
While In its war with Tripoli, Italy
never employed as rule more than
100 900 men, It prepared in the pres
ent case to call out its entire military
reserve OF nearly 100000 men. This
number 1t was estimated as impera-
tive for taking military possession of
the $500 miles Of state, railways. It
was also planned to take from the.
ranks Of this national army, all men
with railway work and,
force them to do duty q strike break
ers.
In a number Of. cities like Rome,
which are absolutely dependent upon
ample transportation facilities for the
day to day food supply, the govern
ment was also compelled to begin
the laying in of foodstuffs on vastly
more ample sccale than was neces-
sary for the, 100000 men sent to Trip !!
oil. 1t was, however, these very en-
ergetic measures taken by the COVE
eminent which frightened the army
Of railway men into. abandoning, at
least temporarily, their project for q
strike. s; 's Il. 81 Il
BY those who are opposing the con-
tinuation OF the present system, it is !
being pointed out that while in other |
countries, railways both government
and private, are usually paying invest
ments, thus serving both the owners
and the public, they have never paid
in Italy. To certain extent, how
ever, the failure Of the Italian railways
10 become a source Of revenue to the
state, can be attributed to local condi-
ions. Italy has neither fuel nor iron.
Coal has to be shipped from England
ind iron even farther. These two
TENS alone make the cost of MAIN
.enance and operation vastly higher
han in other countries. In addition
he country is nearly. mountainous
md where there aren't mountains
here are rivers which are q constant
menace to railways.
However, while this phase Of the
situation is due to local conditions,
,ther defects of the railways In Italy
ire ascribed purely to government
ownership. Politics naturally enter
argely into the administration Of the
always SO that 1t is seldom If ever
hat improvements in the service are
made where they are most needed, po-
itical pull usually being the controll-
ng element. just as American con-
.ressmen assault the "pork-barrel"
or postofices for their home towns,
10 Italian deputies fight for magnifi-
.ent depots, special lines, or special
ervice for their particular towns or
districts.
Still another defect which the gov
rnment-ownership system has engen-
Tered in Italy has been that of bureau
.racy in the administration. This
las entailed the employment OF thous-
lnds and thousands OF employees that
world not be necessary in privately
concern.
Despite these defects and disadvan-
ages of the aforementioned sys-
EN- in Italy, however, even the enc
MES of the latter admit that in the
,ast few years the Italian railways
ave made wonderful progress In
echnical and up-tc-date equipment
hey now compare with those Of other