The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-08

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develops IN tho youth sense OF III 1
around responsibility to his country nsf
only in time Of war. but in time o.
peace. He il much more apt u BE-
faithful. conscientious servant than r
he had not had military training. He
enters public service In time of peace
IN more nearly the same spirit that he
would enter military service in time Il
war--namely. from sense Of patriotic
duty and a desire to servo his country
and his fellow men.
Cevssnneat Owsership Il kailrsadA
In recent years we have been hearing
4 great deal shout government owner.
ship of our railroads. We are told thea
in Germany the railroads are owned -
the government and that their opera
ton il most successful This 10 true.
but in Germany conditions are vastly
different
The military training ct the youth.
in fact, the entire trend OF education IN
Germany Is to impress upon the young
men Of that land that they owe service
to their country. When man enters
the governments employ in the railroad
business he is as conscientious - he
would be were he entering the govern
ment's service in time Of war.
II our railroads were to be taken
over and operated by our government
at this time how many Of you think ws
would duplicate Germany's success?
Government ownership Of railroads
may be as desirable in this country ~
it is in Germany. but We must first
have public servants who will ct least
come somewhere near the standard Of
Germany's public servants in efficiency
and honesty.
Look at the spectacle We are present.
ing to the world at this very moment u
cur pork barrel legislation! Could We
afford to have our railroads operated By
the same type Of public servants! >
IL our government is to endure. Il
We are to take our proper place among
the nations of the world in the new civili-
zatiou. the man Of the future must 1--we
not for himself alone but for others
conssaeraties fer one another y
...es,ly becoming . seciai. Industrial
s.a economic nec<ssity.
Contra lization is the order OF the day. J
The telegraph. the telephone. the auto
u,ob;le and the airship are the causes
Thew have wiped out me- >aiy old rrsc-
caeuts and customs. but State and na-
tional lines as well.
man living in Boston who wishes
To talk to a man living IN San Fran
cisco simply rings bell, puts little
instrument TO his ear and proceeds to
talk. There is hardly a miracle In the
Bible more wonderful than this.
The doctrine of State rights" Is b.
ing rapidly demolished. The nation il
being obliged to assume many Of the
functions Of government heretofore por-
formed BY the State, and this Tendency
is growing.
The State. viewed as an individual
with the right TO do as it plcases within
itself, without regard for other States,
can no longer be tolerated.
Only the nation can act in rnatters
that affect interstate relations, and
With INSTRUMENTATION and trans
portation developed to their present
= stage a considerable percentage Of
States activities are interstate in their
effects and consequences.
The World Is Drawing Together.
We must therefore take on new M
tionalism. The world has been drawn
very closely together by the cable and
the transatlantic liner, but it il on the
verge of being drawn infinitely more
closely together by the wireless, the cir.
sAip and the submarine telephone. s
When these are practical, everydsy
instruments of intercommunication and
tran svS<Sp tmks -