Evening journal., 1914-09-15
TUESDAY SEPT. IS. 1914
RAILROAD INTERESTS ARE THE PEOPLES IN
TERESTS.


HAT was A temperaic and sensible statement that
Il was made by Daniel willard. president Of tho
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company following his
conference with President Wilson last week
Published reports relative to the attitude of the
Interstate Commerce Commission toward a reopcnng
Of the Eastern rate are mere guosswork' he
said u also may add that now legislation is ne
cessary for the carriers and none will be asked for
by them"
Mr. willard was a member Of the committee Of rail-
road presidents that conferred with the President
and asked him to call the attention of the people of
the United states to the imperative need that railway
credits be sustained and the railroads helped In every
way possible whether by private cooperative onort
or by the action, wherever feasible Of governmental
agencies
lone or two Of the newspapers have said that the
railroads should declare frankly what they want and
take the public into their confidence" Mr.. Willard
continued 'They are trying In Europe the
peoples of all the nations fighting and dying to
perpetuate their institutions. Americans are called
upon TO do so little comparison. All that we have
TO do is to bury personal differences and personal
interests that we may meet the situation that eN-
lists here on the highest and broadcast ground
"We do not expect any immediate answer from the
President The question too big to be dealt with
on-hand There idea in our minds that he
should ask the Commerce Commission to increase
rates. because neither he the commission can
act otherwise than the law permits
"All that to ask is that the President after
considering the case deliberately, and he thinks t
WISE indicate the public the seriousness Of the sit
uation the railroads are in and to urge that they be
given special consideration at this time It has been
said that the railroads not alone in being obliged
to pay higher rates for money since the war began.
That is true but the other industries. the ntajor-
y OF them. are private enterprises. The railroads,
while built wholly out of private capital. wholly
public institutions. If manufacturer cannot operate
at a profit he can shut down his works railroad
can-ot cease to operate under any circumstances"
The pitabe thing about it all is that It should be
necessary for the presidents of great transpors
tion lines to plead with the people of the United
States President OF this great and enlightened
tion the Interstate Commerce Commission anyone
else for a square deal The interests of people
and those OF our railroads inseparable and inter
dependent A national administration, matter what
partisan bias may be, that pursues, deliberately OF
against the nations transportation lines strikes
through those railroads the material interests o
the people large and, later, will be called
to stern account for its acts.
The railroads clearly entitled rates that vii
produce, under all conceivable conditions, enougl
revenue to all legitimate expenses and provide
reasonable return to those who have their money in
vested in the railroad properties That is what the
arc asking and what they should receive not
matter OF supplcaton but matter of right
national administration is walking upon dangerou
ground when II seeks TO play partisan politics wit
the nations transportation system.