Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-06-06
BRITISH EXPERT
LAUDS RAILROADS
OF UNITED STATES
Tells Congress Committee That
They Lead World.
NO GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP

- ''Sf'Ss'Sf tdtion EoNeSt
Freight Rates to Be Found In United
States.
Washington, May - THAT the Unit.
ed States is face TO face with a serious
crisis in its commercial affairs. due to
the conditions by which its transporta
ton system is confronted, was the opin
ion expressed by w. NJ. Acworth. Eng
lands leading authority on railways
before the Newlands JOINT committee
on interstate commerce at a special
session held here to enable the com.
mittee to hear his views before his de
Tarture for London this week. Tive
steps are necessary. according to Mr.
Acworth, 10 avert tAis crisis and 10
solve the threatening railroad problem
confronting the country.
The first is 10 allow the railroads TO
charge freight rates sufficient to meet
the great advance In operating ex.
penses which is taking place and TO
enable them to command the credit
necessary to provide the extensions
and Improvements needed to meet the
growing demands Of business. The see.
ond is to do away with the multiple
and conflicting systems Of regulation
that now hamper railway operation
aud to provide one centralized regula
tory agency with such local subdivi
sioGs as may be necessary.
Higher Rates a Public Necessity.
Mr.. Aeworth's views on the transros.
tatfon situation in the United States
were expressed in answer to questions
by members of the committee. who
asked him to apply his knowledge Of
railway conditions throughout the
world and of the experience Of other
countries with government ownership
to the present problem before the Unit.
ed States
The fundamental factor in the stu
alton is very simple. said Mr.. Ac
worth. 1t lies In the fact that YOU
cannot get three-quarters of a cents
worth OF work done for less than three
quarters OF a cent, no matter whether
the agency performing il IS govern
meut OF private enterprise. freight
rates must advance when the cost o.
performing the service advances a.
il is doing at present. Just rs the prize
Of bread or meat or any other CON.
modify increases with Increased cost
8. pro.Ia -;5p.~
In answer fo a nnesHe- Afr Ac
p-,~.b es3 +bat ~ +n.- s,oerrest
fra. lit rasss h..4 l.eae 81 ,..r.b to- rov
3 Iar.r Ter several v..-s.r...f the+ t1ae
aaa raa s4g Hills s1V d4ri,r FL
r.e-t...r
f.a hsf rsaa hs
rsara fr-a. IL
-.. ~
--.s
IS
t-a
s-f ..f-
tte-|a
u"- a
% ta5i' ass lt-a lH
eut 5a.ee 1E.l- a#eel l3its.
is3 ..-.ta.- N1lL-et AAstll1A -1t
any other country Web aei4a'Iat-
T. tHtioh --se4A. a1 e&sep-4N
oi-at r9 1e made 81 =" .z7rianI-iias
succeeded in maintain'a- peImanea.
severance in France 10 Het2i7n, II
Italy parliamentary interference neVe'
mas been abandoned for moment
The facts show that government IN
reference has meant running the raj
ways not for the benefit Of the people
at large but TO satisfy local and section
al and even personal interests.
Prussia, Mr.. Ac"orth said, was tht
best example OF an eihcient govern
ment railway system, aud he pointed
ont that military considerations were
treated as OF paramount Importance in
the Prussian railway system. While
American freight rates had been re
duced nearly 40 per cent in thirty
years, rates in Prussia were nearly as
high as at the beginning of the period
While the charge for moving ton OF
freight one mile in the United States
,. .ha -,+a T., pr.,.-,a - -.
Gents