The Washington herald., 1917-12-17
MAY APPOINT
M'ADOO HEAD
Holland Says He Is the Log
ical Choice to Manage
Railroads.

Some weeks ago a carefully prepared
estimate Of the number of individuals
in the United States who are directly
or Indirectly interested in the railway
properties of the country hxed the
number at $1,000. .00o Many Of these are
individual shareholders. Many Of these
large corporations. including insurance
companies and savings banks, have In
vested some part of their resources in
railway securities These investments
represent money put into the savings
banks or paid for insurance premiums
by q great number Of individuals.
II that estimate be correct ther
nearly one-half OF the entire popula-
tion Of the United States Is or should
, be concerned over the attitude which
Congress and the governpent at
WASHINGTON will take toward the rail-
way situation. No other single indus
try although II may, as the steel IN
dHstry does, comprise many individual
groups, compares in the number OF
persons interested in II. with the
number which it Is assumed. repre-
sents that part of our population
which directly or indirectly Is inter-
ested in the railroads.
Therefore whatever attitude may be
taken by the President or by Con-
gress, the railroad situation affects a
larger number Of people than any
other controlling action the govern
ment could take, even the stupendous
and at present exceptional or emer-
geney work of providing for munitions
for war.
Do Not Care to Talk.
Railway managers in New York do
not care to speak for publication OF
the presumptive authorization by
Congress whereby the President can
assume and direct through highly
competent subordinates the operation
of American railroads. One detail as
sociated with this proposition refers
to the actual and recognized indivfd-
ual authorities who under the Presi-
dent will assume complete control OF
the American railroads.
Occasionally 1t Is said that each
member of the railway war board at
Washington, including Daniel willard,
who is an eX-officio member Of thai
board, Is as competent as any living
railway manager to undertake this
colossal task. But II Is frequently
said that the late z. H. Hartman,
were he living, would be perhaps the
ideal supreme director and controller.
although the name of James ]. Hill
is also mentioned
While Mr.. Hartman was, in q
spectacular and wonderfully rapid
way. building up the Union Pacific
Railroad, he was believed to contem-
plate a nationwide consolidation of
American railroads. He looked at
the proposition from the same view
point as the one he took when he
was building I'D the Union Pacific.
He believed that consolidation would,
IL supplemented by competent govern
ment supervision, result in the high
est possible efficiency of the RAILROADS.
and ultimately would reduce greatly
the cost of transportation. and there
fore the rates necessary to charge in
order to gain reasonable earning.
He had faith in coordination. being
convinced that for the railroads Of
the United States, this policy in the
long run is far better than compe-
tition. He knew how to bring about
coordination provided only public
sentiment supported him He did ven
ture into the Eastern railway field,
having done that as the first step to-
wards a true transcontinental CO.
ordination of the railroads But he
soon ran against the impossible snag
of public opinion and was compelled
to abandon or at least to postpone his
purpose. What Mr.. Hartman had in
mind the government is seeking to
secure.
MAdoo as Directing Chief. .
When z. H. Hartman was upbuild-
ing the Union Pacific Railroad. tri-
umphing at last where many others
had failed. Mr.. McAdoo. now Secre-
tary Of the Treasury, was progressing
with a work which was unique. and
was in a considerable measure his
original conception. 1t is true that IL
Involved a railway system designed
TOR no other purpose than transport
ing passengers from Manhattan un-
der the Hudson River TO New Jersey
even as far as Newark.
There Is no doubt that Mr.. McAdoo
after having obtained the cordial CO.
then president of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company. gained peculiar
even unique personal triumph not
only in the field of engineering but
Falso in that OF reasonable and con-
venient passenger transportation. He
contemplated the extension of his
tubes to the Grand Central Station in
New York City and also the bring
Ing OF the tubes into substantially
physical contact with the Pennsyl-
yania Railroad in New York.
Tn thiS Nvay Mr. NcAdoo haoapna "a