The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1917-11-15
The Public is The Sufferer.

laDOuC sIfelgnC car shortage. That will
BE- the reason given for all sorts Of dis
location in the distribution of necessi-
ties Of life. Even now we are told by
the governments local coal officials
that there are not enough available
cars to bring needed coal from the
south. We are told that ten or fifteen
per cent of the bountiful potato crop
is doomed to freeze for lack of cars to
take it to storage. All freight service,
except for commodities for which
priority of shipment has been ordered,
is more or less impeded and delayed by
dearth of cars.
What is the cause of this shortage Z?
Where is the responsibility, and what
is the remedy?
The car shortage is merely one
symptom of the sickness that has
fallen upon the American railroad sys-
tenn because of the mistaken govern
mental policy toward it long pursued.
Regulation and repression have cut
down the earning capacity of the rail-
roads to such an extent that they have
of late been unable to finance the i'm
provements and additions to equip
ment imperatively demanded by the
traffic. Meanwhile, the cost of opera
ton has increased much more rapidly
than the gross earnings. Thus we
have the anomaly of a much greater
volume Of traffic yielding a steadily
diminishing profit.
The railroads must have new capital
but they cannot get it unless they
show fair profits. Without fair
profits, then, they are unable to pro-
vide the equipment that is needed. In
spite Of the great increase in efficiency
OF operation secured by the practical
pooling of. all the railroads of the
country under one management in CO.
operation with the government the
strain of war traffic has been relieved
only partially.
In this emergency the railroads are
again appealing to the interstate COM
mission for rate increases. The COM
mission, apparently, is ready to aban-
don it's old attitude of suspicion and it's
old policy of delay. Heretofore it has
regarded the railroads as defendants
and itself as a court of justice. Now
at last, in the stress of war, the COM
mission gives signs Of abandoning its
traditional attitude and of approaching
the railroads problem in sympathet
ic and public-spirited frame of mind.
1t is beginning to understand, let us
hope, that the public, quite as much as
the railroads themselves, needs the
better service that would follow higher
rates.
A newspaper that argues in this way
lays itself open to the attacks of the
familiar old sort, to accusations that it
! is sympathizing with the corporations.
But it is the public that is suffering
now for lack of cars. It is the public
that is damaged by railroad service
that threatens to break under the over
load. 1t is the public that needs coal
promptly. It is the public that wants
the full benefit Of the bountiful crop of
potatoes. It is the public that the rail
roads are pinching by poor service be-
cause they don't earn enough money
out Of the huge traffic to do better.
Thus, when a newspaper argues for
a system Of rates that will make the
railroads financially healthy and able
to function properly, it is arguing fol
the good of the public and in behalf
of the public. The old days of railroad
abuses have gone forever. It is time
we forgot the prejudices then engen-
dered and undertook the solution of to-
days railroad problem on it's merits.
The government has shown itself
readily adaptable to the necessities of
war in almost every direction. It has
made use of the big business organi-
cations and has found them as patri-
otto and as ready to serve as any citi-
zen. The railroads themselves have
performed miracles in handling wal
business. When it comes to enabling
the railroads to earn enough money to
carry on their business efficiently the
interstate commerce commission should
no longer hesitate.
| The question is even larger. The
railroads cannot borrow; they are
without credit. The roads may break
down in the midst Of war, and even
government aid, if too late, will not
help them!-Minneapolis Journal.
Harry Lauder Does His Share.