The Seward gateway and the Alaska evening post., 1917-12-21
STARTLING PROPOSALS

If you can catch your breath after reading what IS proposed to do to and for the railroads of the United States and you are then able to restore your mental poSe for few minutes you will be tempted to inquire whether war necessities have not cause' uic opinion to turn complete souersaut Here is ts int 2rState commerce commission which consistently has set its face during the last thirty years against the principle of combination rec ommendng to congress that competition be diminished ii not entirely emnaed that the plan by which the great railroads were built up shall be reversed It recommends that practically all antitrust laws be suspended during the period of the war asks that all roads be operated as one system by the carriers themselves in lawful way. 1t calls the government to lend money to the railroads under appropriate supervisory authority that to say, all the people, collectively finance the railroads un- til the crisis created by war past Does the history Of our nation furnish parallel 10 this extremely radical change of public opinionon any national question?
 The only alternative is for the government to take ov CT and operate the railroads as war measure Power to do this was conferred on the president by act of con- gresS August 29 1916. Then the question before congress is whether it is willing to allow the railroads to try and solve the problem themselves by complete unifica ton and with government financial aid If congress de- cdeS in the negative the president must take the Op eraton of the roads The strain the roads has almost reached the breaking point and it is only matter of time (and very short time) when paralysis shall set in.
 Commissioner McChord of the interstate commerce body urgently recommends government operation of the roads saying Our experience with railroad committees during the past year makes me believe that no voluntary committee can accomplish what the situation demands. He probably right seshness can not be wholly eimn ated by railroad managers. Rather we would say self interest It is unnatural for strong railroads with very extensive and convenient terminal facilities to wish to give the weaker lines the benefit of what they in pure sef-n erest built up Atuism in railroad business is incon- ceivabe yet that is precisely what the interstate mece commission asks from the railroads. Is it humany possible for the railroads even as patriotic duty to change their soul over night?
 If the decision of congress should be against the pertinent of unifcaton by the carriers themselves all bus mess and all industries except those devoted to munitions and war supplies will suffer for the reason that admins tration of railroad affairs would necessarily be in the hands of the department superior council to be created in the near future In either case war needs would always come first and foremost Private interests involved in the movement of freight whether raw mater a or manufactured wares would always have less con-
 deration from any administrative body than they would receive from trained traffic men If general business is made to suffer it will adversely affect activities
 Congress, we believe is likely to accept this view. There is fair probability that it will prefer to give the railroads the opportunity with government ad to deal with the great problem While sefnterest can not be eliminated altogether can be minmized and at least partly perfect unfcatiOn may be attained If that fails the government must take over the control.