New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
The Puzzle of the Railroads
By G. w. Gilbert

WASHINGTON, Nov. IA crisis
is coming in regard to internal trans
rortation in this country. 1t will
reach here about the time Congress
gets down 70 work. unless the Admin
istration, in the meantime, forestalls
debate by the adoption Of some broad
and sane policy with respect to ia
cilities for carrying goods during the
war. We are headed toward pro-
digious and perhaps passionate dis
cussion. We are already beginning to
hear daily what should be done for
or 70 the railroads.
In few weeks we shall be worked
up over increases in wages to rail-
road employees and the necessity Of
providing further earnings to pay the
higher wages. And the freight con
gestion will probably increase. and
the non-essential industries which
can't get supplies will make them
selves heard in Congress. And Just
about at that time the Newlands Com
mission, which has been touring the
country investigating transportation.
especially with view to government
operation or ownership. will start
something.
Crisis to
Come Sure
And then there will be a crisis, not
80 much for the railroads as for our
selves as a sensible people-always
providing the Administration does lot
meanwhile adopt a policy which will
produce peace and quiet, and at least
promise that our means Of interna
transport will be brought abreast o
our needs in war time.
There is no sign of policy yet, even
in process Of incubation. Instead Of a
policy We have a debate. The Inter-
state Commerce Commission is con-
Quoting one. Two days ago Mr.. Rea,
of the Pennsylvania Railroad, said it
was time to think of advances Of gov
eminent credit TO railroads. He said
this reluctantly under cross-examina-
ton, and the emphasis was on the word
think" Every railroad man admits
the same thing under cross-examina-
tion and inwardly shudders when he
does so. Yesterday Mr.. Vanderlip sug-
gested the possibility of some sort of
government control of the regional va
riety patterned on the Reserve banks.
1t was a contribution to the debate.
If you ask one Of the many able rail-
road men here who are for the first
time in the history of the country uni
flying the operation of the railroads,
Shouldn't the government do this or
that or the other thing?" he will reply:
ave are thinking about this" eve are
considering that" or 1--WE debated the
other thing for hours only yesterday"
And he will add: "The Newlands COM
mission is investigating. Let US wait
till il reports and then see what to do"
And there is good reason for this. The
problem is not one these excellent and
able railroad operators can solve. 1t is
out OF their power and there is no one
else to do IL.
Meanwhile they ask every listening
scribe 10 do something to "stop the
public hysteria." II is a reasonable re-
quest. There is no reason for hysteria.
The railroads have not broken down.
They have not broken down any more
than the steel industry has broken
down, or food production, or the coal
mines, or the labor supply. There is
a demand for more transportation than
can be had. That Is all. Just as there
is demand for more steel. more labor:
more coal, than can be had. Instead of
having broken down, the railroads are
running more efficiently than ever be-
fore. They are carrying 90 per cent
more than they used to carry.
That much has been accomplished by
the governments policy of calling the
best railroad men together and putting
il up to them to operate the roads the
best way they know how. 1t was q
good policy as far it went The trouble