The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-01-29
STATE CONTROL OFF RAILROADS
Working England Might be Applied In the
United

United
/, Charles n. Graety In the New York
/ Times: Private control Of railroads
/ in England is thing of the past.
Government control was adopted as a
war measure in August, 1914. It has
worked so well that the principle will
be retained when peace returns.
So much is certain. When the war
broke out the government had to get
Immediate control OF the carriers in
order fully to command facilities for
4 transporting troops, arms and sup
plies There was not time for elab-
Grating a plaa, SO the roads were
t just taken over in the simplest way.
| The net earnings of the previous
/ year 1913) were guaranteed, with
certain minor deductions. for the
whole period OF government control.
and the ten general managers OF the
| larger systems were constituted an
executive committee having entire
managerial charge.
The whole scheme falls under the,
department Of commerce and trans.
portation, known here as the board
4 member of the committee OF ten
4
/ tative. holding for itself only the re
serve powers of control.
| When the lew order set up in the
hurry and confusion of that fatefui
/ August shook down to something like
permanency, The managers We're sur
prised to find what good arrange
ment it was. Now, after well over
/ two years of trying out, there is
practical unanimity in the opinion
THAT the old conditions will never be
entirely restored.
| Those railroad heads in America
lwho do not heed Dr. Vanderlip's
prescription for hardened arteries
and who, like the doctor himself, are
ever scanning far horizons for signs
To- the times, have been watching the
Experience in England for such light
as it may throw upon the serious
1 problems which confront the carriers
Ion that side OF the atlantic.
] 1t happens that there is one man
In the railroad service In this coun-
TRY who can speak with authority
ard com paratively Of railroads In
America and England. He is the
general manager Of the Great East
ern, Henry w. Thornton, proouct
or the Pennsylvania railroad school,
and, before coming here two and
half years ago, for some time general
superintendent of the Long Island
railroad. AS general manager OF the
Great Eastern his position CORE
spends to that of railway president
in America. his responsibility being
directly to the board OF directors.
Mr.. Thornton is one of the execu-
tive committee operating the roads,
/ each member Of which has the mill
-
may add .ha. Colonel Thornton has
!won the regard and confidence not
only OF the Great Eastern interests,
but of the British public He brings
with him the American push and 30.
but fits into his new environment as
LII to the manner born.
/ The arrangement between the
government and the railroad COM
panies," said Mr.. Thornton. in reply
Ito my tnquirie IS, 'ehas proved good
bargain for everybody. Under 1t
stockholders receive the same return,
with some mirror deductions. that
they had in 1913. upon which year
the bargain was based. The govern
lment, in turn, fares well, because tie
hauling done for it, IL it had been
Maid for eft the regular rates, would
have amounted to great deal more
than the difference between 'he
present earnings and what it cost tG
run the railroads and pay the stock
holders"
"wiI the old conditions ever be
restored?
! Never" replied Mr.. Thornton,
with emphasis 1.-THE position will be
different after the war. Exactly what
1t will be NOBODY can tell. 1t is in
process of working out 1t will prob
ably be something like semi-natfonalf-
cation or government partnership.
do not think that either railroad
shareholders or the government need
be anxious about the future cnndt-
I ton It will be better than the old
relation, because we have had an op-
portunity to develop the subject 'un
der conditions which were peculiarly
favorable for ti,is purpose. We Ought
to work out something that has I'll
i the advantages and none OF the dis
advantages Of government ownst-
ship
When asked to comment on the
/ situation in America. Mr.. Thornton,
said that, disregarding the position
in England and looking at 1t only As
rpl!cable to theS United States, The
Interstate commerce commission
lseemed to him to labor under tie