The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-03-15

CONTROL
IS PAST
Government Supervision Of
Railways in England has
Worked out Splendidly.
RY charLea b. CRAFTY.

1 ET1VdLc COnITOl Oh Td1IrOduS Eng
land Is a thing of the past. Govern
ment control was adopted as a war
measure in August, 1914. 1t has worked
so well that the principle will be re-
tanned 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
transporting troops, arms and supplies.
There was not time for celebrating a
plan, so the roads were just taken over
in the simplest way. The net earnings
OF the previous year (1913) were guar
anteed, with certain minor deductions,
for the whole period Of government
control. and the ten general managers
Iof the larger systems were constituted
an executive committee having entire
managerial charge. s.t ....
The whole scheme falls under the
department OF commerce and trans
lportation, known here as the board OF
trade but that body names a mem
Der Of the committee Of ten-Sir Her
bert Walkers Its representative,
holding for itself only the reserve pow
Iers of control.
Found Good Arrangement.
When the new order set up in the
hurry and confusion Of that fateful
august shook down to something like
lpermanency, the managers were sur
Iprised to find what good arrangement
1t was Now, after well over two years
of trying, out, there is a practical un;
Ianimity in the opinion that the old
conditions will never be entirely re-
Istored.
Those railroad heads in America who
do not need DR.. Vanderlip's prescrip-
ton for hardened arteries, and who,
like the doctor himself, are ever scan
ming far horizons for signs OF the
y. 1%r11
Ience in England for such light as 1t
Imay throw upon the serious problems
which confront the carriers on that
Iside Of the Atlantic.
It happens that there is one man in
1.-The railroad service in this country
who can speak with authority and
EcomparatiVely Of railroads in, America
and England. He is the general man
ager Of the Great Eastern, Henry w.
Thornton, a product Of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad school, and, before COM
ing here two and half years ago, for
some time general superintendent or
the Long Island Railroad. AS general
manager Of the Great Eastern his posi-
ton corresponds to that Of railway
president in America, his responsibility
being directly to the board or direc-
tors. .s ..N -.ar....
| Mr.. Thornton is one of the exec
lutive committee operating the roads,
each member Of which has the mill
tary rank Of lieutenant colonel. I may
add that 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 go, but fits into his
NEW environment as If to the manner
born.
"The ARRANGEMENT between the gov
eminent and the railroad companies,
ipn tn ~
quiries, has proved a good bargain for
Everybody. Under 1t stockholders re-
lceIve the same return, with some minor
deductions, that they had in 1913, upon
(which year the bargain was based. The
government, in turn, fares well, be-
cause the hauling done for 1t, II 1t had
been paid for at the regular rates.
would have amounted to a great deal
more than the difference between the
present earnings and what 1t cost to
run the railroads and pay the stock
holders"
"Wnl the old conditions ever be re-
stored?"
| Newer" REPLIED Mr.. Thornton, with
emphasis. 1.-THE position will be differ
emit after the war Exactly what 1t will
be nobody can tell. 1t is in process OF
working out. It will probably be some
Thing like semi naturalization or gov
Iernment partnership. do not think
THAT either railroad shareholders or the
government need be anxious about the
future condition. 1t will be better than
1.-The old relation, because we have had
Ian opportunity to develop the subject
under conditions which were peculiarly
favorable for this purpose. We ought to
work out something that has all the
ADVANTAGES and none of the disadvan-
ltages of government ownership.
Comments on Commission.
| When asked to comment on the stu
Iation In America, Mr.. Thornton said
THAT. disregarding the position in. Eng
Hand and looking at 1t only as appic-
liable to the United States. the inter-
Estate commerce commission seemed to
him to labor under the disadvantage
that it was too far away from its SUD-
, iect. Il was like a Judge on the bench;