The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1916-03-02
.ROiLEsiEPS Of STEEL NEERED
TNkOlt.MOl'T TINE LAMB.

uWuVu ssSoVu uWL In W.
The Union Pacific Railroad Co.. is
entitled to a free advertisement W..
gladly r,ake the present. The genius
who prepared the advertisement which
that company is now carrying IN the
daily papers. and he is genius. was
able To make the present situa-
ton and the discussion of Nationa,
Preparedness" the opportunity for
telling an exceedingly interesting story'
about the Union Pacific road and its
relation to national welfare. This ad-
vertisement reads as follows:
Without such a road We canno,
protect California and our Pacific
possessions against invasion -Presi-
dent buchanan, 1857.
II We should have n war, the Union
Pacific Railrosd-next to the navy
and the Panama Canal-will be the
greatest single material factor in a
successful defense of our Western
Coast
Double track. perfect roadbed. low
grades, slight surves automatic block
signal system and the finest physical
equipment on the Western roads will
prove invaluable for the expeditions
passage of troops and amunitions.
This rOad-built for military pur-
pose fortunately never has had mil
itary test. but it is ready for such a
test
All Of the factors which will make
the Union Pacific efficient in war are
Just as useful in times of peace. I'm
ion Pacific system Joins East and West
with "A boulevard OF steel.
We believe these statements are
true, and that the Union Pacific does,
indeed. ioin the East and West by IA
boulevard of steel" and that, pro-
jectcd as military line. bu. fortunate
ly never put to military test, this
road would in the event of war be-
come of tremendous national impor-
tancc There are other roads, too,
which would likewise be infinitely I'M
portant in the event of war.
Germanys great war machine has
been largely due to the fact that its
railroads have been created from the
ground up with the distinct idea that
some day they might be needed for war
purposes. Our railroads have never
had to face this condition. and sad. in
deed, would be their situation, and the
nations If We had to meet an invasion.
Many OF them are badly equipped and
are not sufficiently strongly built to
be able to carry the tremendous loads
that woald be necessary in the event of
war. There has been no co-ordina- |
tion in the railroad work looking to |
such eventualities. This is not the |
fault Of the railroad men nor the rail-
road builders, for they have not had |
to consider seriously the possibilities |
OF being needed in time OF war. not |
anticipating that the world would
ever again have gigantic war.
We are now, however, face to face
with the condition where readjustment |
of all Of our industrial and railroad
becomes essential To
extent the industrial in
trests of the United States, and cs-
pecially those relating to iron and
steel and chemicals and amunitions of
war, must be relocated
No more fatal blunder could have
been made than to have developed a.
long narrow strip on the Atlantic
coast the entire war-making supplies
of the nation. The only proper place
for the bulk of such industries is some
where in the South or Southwest and
the center of the country. where an
invading army from the Pacific or
the Atlantic coast would have a long
march inland before great damage
could be done.
In the central iron and coal and
regions of this nation must be
centered the making Of supplies for
war, and the railroads must be made
a vitality important factor in uniting
these sections and in providing the
facilities for the development of such
industries
Instead of fighting the railroads, as
this country has foolishly done: in
stead of hampcring them. as the Inter-
state Commerce Commission has often
done. we must come to a fair under
of the whole situation AMI
recognize how the broadeSt creation of
wealth in the nation and national safe
ty in time of war can only be brought
about through the broadest develop
mcnt OF the railroad interests
Railroads, must be so encouraged by
pubic sentiment and by Governments,
State and National, as to justify them
III carrying on vast improvement II
schemes and making them. indeed.