The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-13

British troops and made as comfortable
as the exigencies of war permitted, and
1t is noteworthy that though they reached
camp after nightfall, the Cossacks dis
ported themselves with song and dance
till l a. M. before seeking their rest.
After a couple of days respite from
their long journey, the commander of
the squadron and two of his officers
were invited to Basrah to meet Sir Percy
Lake, commanding the army of Mesopo-
tamia. During their stay at Basrah the
officers We're decorated with the British
military cross by order Of King George.
more efficiently and make more money.
1t is proposed, therefore, that the cost
OF war should be met not by taxing pro-
ductfon but by untaxing it, and as pre-
liminary steps 1t Is suggested that the
producers all over the country should be
supplied by the nation with greatly i'm
proved services of transport and COM
munication-the life blood of trade-at
a much lower cost than at present, 70
do this the first step suggested is the
naturalization of the railways, canals
and other means of transport and, as
corollary, of the coal mines, and
the Transformation OF "our somewhat
somnolent postoffice into an efficient
public service of communication and
transport.
VALUE OF RAILROADS
The stock exchange value of the British
railway system, now controlled by about
200 different boards of directors, Is esti-
mated at about 81. 10000. The total net
earnings in 1918, the last year undisturbed
by war conditions, was nearly $261, 900, 600
or little over per cent. 1t is sug-
gested that these railways should be ac-
hyy IN, iCcy Nf
ment stock, and run with the canals and
other means of transport as one system.
The experience since the railways were
taken over by the government for the
period OF the war shows that by the cut
ting off of overlapping and purely COM
petitive services, great economies are
possible Still greater economies in man
agement could be effected under a per-
manently unified system and it is esti-
mated that after giving the country a
much better and cheaper service than 1t
has at present and providing an ample
sinking fund to redeem the railway stock,
the railway department could turn over
to the national funds at least $4,000 900
a year to go toward the reduction of the
war debt.
Closely linked with the railways is the
national coal supply, and the Fabian So
ciety Is equally bold in dealing with that
The present supply of 1sO.Oo0.OOO tons an
nually for home consumption and 9S,-
100000 tons for shipping bunkers and ex-
port Is obtained from about $500 distinct
pits belonging to about 1900 owners, all
competing with each other and all In
curing the expense of complete admin
istrative staff. About million men and
boys are engaged in raising the coal,
and 1t is distributed over the railways
without any real knowledge Of the ma
tional needs except such as can be CLEANED
from the state of the market. All sorts
of unnecessary handling takes place be-
cause of the successive lines of middle
men who make profit out of it. All this
waste the Fabian society points out could
be saved by national organization under
national ownership.
MINES WORTH BILLION
The total value of the coal mines I'M
der scheme of naturalization Is COM
plicated by the question of royalties, and
is variousiy estimated at from $780, o0O, 600
to 81 100000 900. The interest charge at
per cent, therefore, would be either $4O,-
100000 or 65000.000 and the sinking fund
for repaying even the larger sum at the
end of 81 years would be less than ST.
$4,000 a year. The coal owners and royal
ty owners now receive In profits about
S2, 1000 year SO that there would be a
big surplus even at the larger valuation.
and 1t is fair to assume that even. greater
profits could be made with economies
OF management tits suggested that the
coal mines could be made to benefit indus
try by fixing definite all the year round
selling price of Is cents cwt. for coal,
instead OF leaving it as now to the fluctu-
atoms Of the market This would mean
about s. a ton which is much below the
present average peace price of English
coal. OF course this means the price de-
- in 10
In this way the railways and the coal
mines would be- worked together to pro-
duce revenue for the state and to encour-
age Industry and increase production and,
therefore, the taxable national wealth.
One of the most interesting suggestions,
If not the most practicable, Is that for
Matchmaking the life insurance business
OF the country. 1t is pointed out that
a step has been taken in that direction
by the national health insurance act.
The business of life assurance in this
country Is divided into "a two branches,
ordinary" and industrial The; "ordi-
nary" deals with policies of over $500
and the industrial with smaller amounts,
the premiums on which are usually, pay
able weekly 1t is known popularity in
this country as burial money" and it
is suggested that the state could at one
bite take over all this vast business by
adding a burial money" feature to the
national health insurance act which is
now worked through the postoffice. Some
idea of the magnitude Of this business
may be obtained from the fact that the
Prudential Assurance society alone, the
largest English company of this class.
carries Industrial policies to the amount
of nearly $2O0.0ooooo. The immense cose
OF management Of this business is shown
by the feet that the Prudential, which
has managed to get the cost down lower
than any other industrial company. pays
80 per cent of it's premium income for
MANAGEMENT. while some other industrial
companies pay over 50 per cent. This
is one feature alone where a great saving
could be effected by state department
for. of course. the greater part of this
expense is due to the competition between
between the companies for business and