Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-10-08
Strike Prevention and Municipal
Ownership.

Ino report OF the senate suoconmlt-
tee which investigated Washington's re-
cent street railway strike is interesting
In its apportionment of responsibility
for the strike and as guide to public
sympathy between the contestants in
this particular clash of the past between
employers and employed.
The question vital to the welfare of
the whole community: How shall strikes
be prevented in future9' is also dis
cussed helpfully by the report of
the subcommittee. The suggestions Of
an effective preventive, submitted by
three committeeman as individual ex-
pressions of opinion, while they vary in
terms, all point to compulsory arbitra-
ton by commission or to government
ownership as alternative remedies, and
a the only remedies, for the strike evil.
Having advanced thus far in the anti
strike campaign, these senators find
themselves abruptly halted by the same
high stone waH which has for years pro-
tected the strike evil against effective
assault. Heretofore employers and en-
ployed alike have resisted both compul-
sorry arbitration and public ownership.
Neither employers nor employed have
in their Utmost thoughts welcomed the
"meddlesome" intervention of the gen
eral public into what they choose to con-
slider their private concerns. The en-
ployed have not wished any one but
themselves, not even the community or
government, to fix their wages. And the
, employers have felt in the same way
about community control Of their rates
AID their dividends. The great unor-
ganized public. neither corporation
stockholders nor employees, which suffers
the most from . strike and pays In the
end the losses of both sides, has been
permitted q very small voice in decid-
Ing the strike or no-strike issue.
; The legislation of recent years con-
eerning steam railroads has so asserted
and enforced the public right to control
these corporations, that certain railroads
show signs of becoming halfway recon
ci3ed to complete public ownership, as
the logical result. of the drastic exercise
Of the power Of regulation and control
to which they have been subjected
The legislation made necessary by the
var has In many ways 90 strengthened
tie nation and the government, with
corresponding reduction and sacrifice Of
The powers, rights and privileges of the
individual, that the public is no longer
startled by propositions Of public owner
ship or control which before the war
would have been promptly rejected as
evolutionary.
In spite of these changes Of basic con-
ditions there remains a very serious
question whether government ownership
of American railroads is desirable on
its merits in the public interest; and it
Il evident that this issue will be holly
debated in Congress and elsewhere.
There d NO space for its consideration
Asre.
The specific project of municipal own
srship Of tho Washington street railways
does not at this time appeal a. neces-
sary OF wise to the local community.
The bill, suggesting legislation Of this
kind. proposed that the District tax
payers should incur heavy bonded debt
Of many millions in order to buy the
local street railways; that the United
States should repudiate all responsibility
for this debt, abrogating in respect to it
the haf-and half provision of the act
OF 1873: and that the District taxpay-
ers, as the sole owners of the roads
should turn over their management and
control absolutely to the District Com
missioners, officials who are responsible,
20 them in no respect whatever. and in
whose selection ~ lave ~ ~s.ce.
Either by government ownership as
last resort or by stringent governmental
regulation Of railways (steam and cleo
tric) the sound doctrine must be en-
eoNSSN ehoe iia1ichiscs u ullll-
ties corporations are not gifts, but grants
for which compensation must be made
to the public The grant of temporary
use Of the streets should be ACCOMPANIED
by compensation to the public for such
use and by retention of power by the
government to regulate such use in the
public interest
Municipal ownership of Washington
street railways should not now be CON
sidered; for the reason that government
regulation through an independent pub
he utilities commission, which has been
wisely created by Congress, has not yet
been thoroughly tested; and resort to
municipal ownership should be had only
m The event that government regulation
through commission proves failure.
While regulation by utilities commits
don Is thus under searching test, mu
aieipal ownership with its responsible
Ties and dangers of loss is premature
and unnecessary. 1t is untimely also
because the people of Washington do
mot control their municipality and