The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1917-12-27
THE PRESIDENT AND RAILROADS

THE PRESIDENT AND RAILROADS
No business has responded to the needs of the
country with surrender of its facilities and
to the public service than the railroads, and
industry has been with as little consider
alton for its rights and interests
Just it is up to the President to decide what
the status of the railroads shall be-whether they
shall continue to be private property or whether
program shall be inaugurated at leading straight
to government ownership The President to
be doing all the thinking for everybody in Washing
ton these days and Congress is waiting to hear what
he wants it to do about the railroads, or whether he
wants it to do anything.
The Presidents view of the situation has not
been indicated yet or his cabinet, some favor gov
eminent operation, while others including Secretary
l. e. formerly member of the interstate commerce
commission, who probably knows more about the
railroad question than all the of the Presidents
advisers, favor further trial of private manage
ment without government control.
SO What the railroads is not government
loan, as has been suggested; they do not ask for
the immediate repeal of the antitrust and antipoo-
ing laws But they do ask that the government which
has monopozed the investment market to great
extent by Liberty bond sales, help the railroads
to secure on their credit the capital necessary
for equipment and to meet maturing obligations
They also want the government to center the power
of granting preference orders in one executive offic
avoid the confusion and strain and necessary
conflict of preference orders coming from several diff
ferent government department heads at the same
time They want priority orders for locomotives and
cars, immediate increases in rates made many years
ago and that railroad men drafted into the army
be assigned to railroad service till they more ur-
gently needed elsewhere.
These are certainly very modest requests that
the railroads make. They are no more than re-
quest that they be given decent chance to do bust
ness like other people. They have been regulated
and restricted and hampered by both state and fed
eraI governments till they no longer permitted
to adapt themselves to changing conditions without
federal sanction, seldom granted.
When the war broke out the railroads placed in
control of operation an executive board of their own
number who have been handling the whole railroad
facilities of the country great system. They
have carried SO per cent more freight than during
the corresponding period of the previous year. with
out being able for lack of funds, to increase the
equipment materially. Increased cost of operation
on account of increases in wages and in materials
and supplies, overbalanced the increase in bushes;
revenue and reduced the net earnings. This is
situation which should appeal to the sense of fair
ness. or first Importance to the country in helping
to win the war; the first of the industries to organ
ize for that purpose highly efficient within the linn
its of facilities restricted by regulated rates. the
stand ready their capacity and efficienc
if their reasonable granted; but they ar
obliged to accept whatever the government sees II
to hand out, including the alternative of gOvernmer
ownership.
railroad is public servant, of course, and
subject to government control but it is servant cr
ated and equipped by private enterprise and priva'
capital, which private enterprise and private capt.
would probably have created If it had been III
derstood in advance that it to be subjected
the measure of arbitrary regulation which has con
TO be applied to be followed by final absorption,
government ownership.
The situation is that the public will n
view with indifference for allowing for whatev
economies may be effected by curtailment of dup
Gated effort il may well be doubted whether in Il
large government operation will cost the public lie
or will provide as satisfactory service as has be-
rendered under private ownership and operation.
whatever the President says goes unless recent e
perence In Washington is to be reversed.-Minn
apolis Tribune. ..