Evening journal., 1917-12-26
Railroads and The Government
lFrom the New York Trlbune).

a mere chief OF ordnance or a quarter
master general, however intelligent or
farsighted the latter might have been.
lt did not make wise use OF its op-
pOrtunities Instead of cooperating with
the roads in policy Of expansion, uni
fcation and heightened efficiency, 1t
de, oted itself to holding them in check.
It could see nothing in the problem or
Federal regulation but the scrupulous
protection Of individual shippers from
excessive freight rates. II was satisfied
TO keep rates down, while the eXpen-
ses Of transportation were steadily ris-
ing II put the carriers on short rations.
10 depressed their credit. II has re-
stricted them for years to a return
which has made it an enormous strain
for them TO keep up with increased
traffic demands 10 never thought OF
what might happen If 1t should sud
denly become necessary to convert the
carriers to military uses, when their
ability to carry freight would become
the one thing with which the country
would be concerned, and delicate
shaving Of rates, in order to restrain
earning power, would become more and
more Of a triviality.
Now the policy Of the commission has
borne its natural fruit. Its restrictive
system OF control has broken down,
Just as the system Of inelasticity and
complacency in the War Department
has broken down. The railroads must
now be restored TO vigOr, be unified
In operation and be supported by the
credit and good will Of the government.
Il has been thought advisable to relieve
the chief Of ordnance and the quarter
master general. Evidently President
Wilson also considers 10 necessary to
take the control Of the carriers out Of
the hands OF the Interstate Commerce
Commission and to put 1t in the hands
Of a railroad administrator.
That. at least, is the outcome now
indicated Fortunately, the roads have
done much since the war began to uni
fy operation and develop a higher ell
cheney In spite Of their unprepared
condition they have handled in the
seven months from April to September,
1917, Il per cent more freight traffic
than they handled in the same period
last year-and last year all previous
traffic records were broken They have
also handled the largest passenger traf-
nc ever known Moreover, the carriers
have done this under a staggering pres
sure Of increased costs. No industry In
the country has responded more unset
nshly and more energetically TO the
demand of patriotic service Yet up to
this time that service remains unreoOg-
nized by the government. In the face Of
increased business, earnings have fallen
and stocks Of the sOundest railroad
Have made new low selling records.
The railroads have given their best
TO the government, which has treated
them like a step-parent- 1t is time to
reserve that policy and to meet generos-
ity with generosity. In every other war
industry a fair return on service Is al
lowed The owners Of the railroads ask
only fair treatment Their present I'M
preparedness and their comparative
shortage Of facilities are due TO the
governments mistaken policy, not to
their own neglect. The government has
long undervalued the economic 'and
public value Of our transpoI tatl0n sys
tenn Also its military value. Why not
admit that blunder and repair II in a
sensible and magnanimous waye IN in
correct or only half correct solution o.
the railroad problem at this stage
would be only another self-created OBJ
stacle to the successful prosecution o.
the war.