The Sun. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1915-1932, 1917-05-25

WASHINGTON, ID. c.. Nav
face to face with a serious crisis
the conditions by which its trar
was the opinion expressed by "
authority on railways. before the
terstate commerce at a special
committee to hear his views bef,
week. Two steps are necessary
this crisis and TO solve the threa
ing the country.
The frst Is 20 auow the railroads IN
charge freight rates sufficient 10 meet
the great advance 10 operating OK.
penses which Is taking place and 10
enable them 10 command the credit
necessary 10 provide the extensions
aud Improvements needed TO meet the
growing demands Of business. The sec.
ond Is 70 do away with the multiple
aud conflicting systems Of regulation
that now hamper railway operation
and 20 provide one centralized regula.
tory agency with such local subdiyi.
sions as mag be necessary.
Higher Rates = Public Necessity.
Mr.. Acworth's views on the transpor.
tation situation IN tho United States
were expressed In answer TO questions
by members Of the committee. who
asked him TO apply bis knowledge
OF railway conditions throughout the
world aud OF the experience Of other
countries with government ownership
TO the present problem before the Unit.
ed States.
The fundamental factor In the sit.
uation IL very simple" said Mr.. Ac-
worth. ut lies In the fact that you
cannot get three.quarters % n cents
worth OF work done for less than three.
quarters Of a cent. no matter whether
the agency performing Il IA a govern.
ment or private enterprise Freight
rates must advance when the cost Of
performing the service advances ~
II II doing az present. Just a. the price
% bread or meat or any other com.
modify increases with increased cost
H. ans,s.s o. ,,o.,,,, A., Az.
.a.,h 80, ,,s, h. ,ha,sh, Iw.,,can
$3.50, -. ~ -, :, ,,,,.n 80, Los,
a level for several years past, that they
had reached this low point during the
period OF cutthroat competition among
the roads and had since been held
~, w 49, :" ...,,'.,,as ,.oa,.s rn,sss -.
,".'o ~ 49, ,-s :, ~" .s,a.. -
n ~ 49, 80, an. ,..,,,, won,a
' ,..ason. - 90 an. n.on,s N
W = ,e,'' l'''' - ,s.s.h ,nsnr,s,.n.
Nv ,,.,a,ian ,.c,,,,,.s
" VI """'P'''@''
Weakness Of Government Ownership
on the subject OF government owner
ship Of railways Mr.. Acworth said
1T Ia impossible TO obtain sausfae
tory results ON government rali~Ays
in n democratic state unless The man
agcmcnt i cut loose from direct polit'
ical control Neither Australia nor
any "theI c"uhu' WI" -,
ic neutrality-suspicious. an exception
] Vukut '" " W""' "
succeeded In maintaining permanent
severance. In France. In belgium In
Italy, parliamentary Interference never
has been abandoned Tor a moment
The facts show that government IN
reference has meant running tho rail'
ways not for the benefit OF the people
at large. but to satisfy local and SEC
tional and even personal Interests
Prussia. Mr. Acworth said, was the
best example Of an efficient govern.
ment railway system. aud he polnied
out that military considerations were
treated as Of paramount Importance IN
tho Prusslan railway system, While
American freight rates had been re-
dueed nearly 20 per cent In thirty
years. rates in Prussia were nearly as
high as nj the beginning Of the period