Gunnison news-champion., 1917-12-28
TAKES ISSUE WITH
OUR "RAlLROAD EDITORIAL
Mr.. Henry F. Lake Jr.,
Gunnison, Colorado.
Ny dear Mr.. Lake,

Gunnison, Colorado.
Ny dear Mr.. Lake,
AS you are aware of my warm ad-
miration for News Champion" under
your broad-minded management, you
doubtless will not object to . little ad.
verse criticism Of the article on rail-
roads published in your issue Of the
21st, inst.
The article referred to, puts all the
blame for the present congested con.
dition Of railroads on .so-cailed efficiS
ency experts" Would 1t not be more
correct TO state that the cause Of un>
satisfactory railread s6Fvieesis Il due IA
the fact TINT the railroads have been
suddenly called yloe to hAndls practi-
~ Z aeeaas - je sAsy IND before
It may Be said that the railroads
should have been ready for the emer-
gency. No doubt they should have
been and to q large extent would have
been il it had not been . pastime of
the people and cheap politicians to
"jump on" the railroads in season and
out of season.
You and l know that much Of this
criticism has been absolutely unfair
and undeserved but the effect Of it has
been destruction Of railroad credit
stocks and bonds could not be sold to
provide adequate funds for needed
equipment, extensions, and ter
m in all s. But If the ra J.
roads were culpable in not being ready
for war conditions, would they have
been any better off under government
ownership? Was the government it
self ready in any particular for the
war?
In the article under discussion it is
stated that efficiency experts" are
working, not for the public, but for
dividends for eastern stockholders and
bankers Aside from the unfortunate
appeal to sectionalism in this part of
the article, there is the false inference
that the railroads are owned by few
bloated bondholders who are bleeding
the public.
Nothing is further from the truth.
It is well established that directly or
indirectly at least so 900 300 Of the
people Of our country are affected by
the prosperity or non-prosperity Of
the railroads. Saving banks, trustees
for estates, and insurance companies
are the largest holders Of the railroad
securities and we are AL more or less
affected by the value and stability Of
securities held by such corporations.
Then add the 500 900 railroad en-
ployees. Are not they directly con-
cerned in the prosperity Of the rail-
roads?
The article referred to gives as a
remedy for present congestion Of traf-
fic government ownership" But is
that the remedy? We have been at
war over eight months and the gov
ernment has been running many large
enterprises but has the result COM
pared at all favorably with the rail-
road achievement Of handling sue
cessfully over so per cent overload?
The government has run the ship
building business-a much more sim
pie job than handling all the railroads
of the country-an has produced
much friction and serious quarrels but
has hardly even started to construct
ships. According to General Gorgias,
the sanitary conditions in many can
tonments are far from satisfactory;
proper clothing is lacking, and in ma
ny instances there are not even guns
to drill with. Heavy cannon are woe
fully short and many other necessities
lacking. These facts have been
brought out by congressional investi-
cation and their publication cannot
therefore be aiding and abetting the
enemy"
/ have had ancestors in every war
We have had since colonial dayu. an rs
large . purchaser Of Liberty Bonds IS
can possibly AFFORD, and I'M heart
and soul with our government. There
are mapy Americans in tie sams dtu-
ation bit tint does nnt mean W Sh6uld
doe sour eyes - Lack a Ssvern-
Continued q Foartz rsos