Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-28
Government Operation Of Railways.

Government Operation Of Railways.
As urged for some time by some OF
the most levelheaded business and
financial men of the country, President
Wilson has taken over all the railroads
of the country to be operated by the
government, for the duration of the
wa. Actual possession and operation
will tecome effective at noo today,
:ndet ,he direction Of Secretary VIII
liam G. McAdoo. acting as "Director-
General OF Railroads" Friends and
admirers of Mr.. McAdoo have repre-
scented him as the type of man neces-
sary as a single dominating head of
the great railroad system of the coun-
try. His success in floating the bond
issues and his other activities and
cnfigs displayed since the declara-
ton of a status Of war, has proven to
these friends his executive ability n
grasp Of the country's necessities.
or course it is not expected that Mr..
McAdoo will furnish tthe technical
to n high degree of efficiency at this
stage of congested traffic, insufficient
rolling stock, and lack of locomotives
and loyal support of employees, but
with that authority conferred upon
him by the commander-in-chief in a
time Of war, that gives him power to
sweep aside ~entangling red tape, OBJ
structive antitrust laws, and I'M
patriotic labor intrigue, the new direc-
tor general of railroads can instantly
bring order out of chaos wherever
discovered by the railway experts
whom he will call to his side.
We are convinced that this step has
been inevitable since the earliest days
OF our entrance to the war. So short
a time ago was this only the widest
dream OF Missionaries" that it can
hardly yet be realized by the general
public. Like other tremendous things
that have come naturally and almost
without opposition under the inf1u-
ences of war conditions, we have in
the stroke of a pen, government pos
session and operation of the railways
of this c~ountry-three times the com
bined mileage Of Great Britain, France
and Germany.
1t was only a few months ago that
the mere suggestion Of CONSUMPTION in
this country would have aroused the
mildest citizen to indignant protest,
and solemn and defiant declaration
that such a policy could NEVER be
invoked in THIS country, ana yet, al
most in a day. under the spirit Of war
and wars necessities, CONSUMPTION be-
came an existing fact, almost without
opposition, and now accepted and
loyalty supported by almost everybody,
everywhere in our free land.
A few years 6 national prohibit
ton seemed the vision of wild-eyed
demagogs, to the most of the people of
this personal liberty" loving lands of
ours, and not even the most ardent
prohtbitionist dared to voice his hope
that some day this country, and per-
haps the continent, would throttle the
booze god and sink his remains to a
depth beyond resurrection. Yet ma
tional prohibition in this country is al
most within reach; it Is certainly
within the hope Of every true temper
ance worker and thinker. 1t has been
recognized and is given the approval
OF the American Congress. Almost
before we can realize 1t the civtlizing
influence Of the accepted fact will be
upon us even as it is already ALIEN
bracing in the vast territories OF the
dominions to the north of us.
Universal suffrage Of literate adults,
following the line Of the sure trend Of
Justice and progressive events, also Is
coming. and may arrive as soon as the
moral logic and economic policy of
prohibition.