The Washington herald., 1917-06-10
Intensive Farming, Intensive DevsI-
opment, Intensive Transportation.

1t would seem that everything in this
country is modified for the demands
Of war except some independent bu-
rtaus and boards of the government
which are not unrelated. To illustrate:
We have the Shipping Board straining
every nerve and spending many mil
lions to place upon the seas as quick
ly as possible ships for transport Of
supplies to the battle fronts of Eu-
when it Is delivered at the seaboard.
But at the same time we have the In
terstate Commerce Commission maui
ing over musty reports and muster
mathematical calculations and hesi-
tating about granting the railroads,
which must deliver this stun on the
docks in time, a beggarly increase OF
lj per cent in rates.
This situation bears such close re-
lationship to the problem of financing
the war. to which attention is now di-
rected in marked degree, that The
Herald cannot refrain from indulging
in a brief exnoTtation for wisdom Of
SANNACA anu SpCCO VI GAGSdlAOL. AS
taxation and bond issues react on each
other favorably or unfavorably, SO do
they in combination react on the
whole question of national well-being.
Ocean transportation cannot be fos-
tered and land transportation strang-
led with benefit to the country any
more than industry could be helped to
srnEnn
hackers of those industries are de-
prived Of a fair profit or denied the
use Of funds to operate plants. What
is needed is for Congress to visual
ize the whole economic structure OF
the United States of America and send
each division-hnances, manufactur-
ing, land transportation. water trans
pOrtation-forward with unhampered
limbs and ever-growing strength to
back the great armies that are fight
ing for the liberty Of the world.
The Illinois shippers have caught
this spirit which so many of us here
in Washington have failed to grasp.
The statement made by Mr.. John Nj
Glenn before the Interstate Commerce
Commission on Tuesday is one of the
most brilliant examples OF the alert
and mobile intelligence so badly need
ed at this time, tuned to catch the
demands OF the hour. He urged the
! commission to grant the increase in
rates asked for by the railroads
quickly There was much material
to go from the West abroad, but how
was it to get abroad II the railroads
were not permitted to provide facill-
ties with which to furnish the rapid
/ transportation to tldewater?
1t is time to get out OF the rut It
| Is time to raise the eyes and look to
! the broad horizon of the rapidly ap-
preaching time when we will be in the
full rush and stress Of war. There
has been too much "sandbagging" OF
! the railroads. There has been too
much heed paid to the shippers, who
| so far as is known do not hold to any
| special pledge to divide their profits
with the consumer. The railroads are
selling liberty bonds, but they cannot
sell bonds for themselves. The manu-
facturers are doing their best to
I double their output. The farmers are
doing their best to double their crops.
/ Where are the railroads to find the
, funds to supply new terminal facili-
ties. new rolling stock, aye, and addi-
tional trackage for this increased ton
mage?
Our allies have grown to look at
these matters broadly from the stand
point of cohesive efficiency. What
must they think Of US?