The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-12-28
T]0WNLE]:Y' 0PINES
POLICY AIMS AT
RAIL OWNERSHIP
Non-Partisan Lacquer Believes
that Commander Means
Ultimate Possession.
ROADS LONG BREAKING DOWN
President Rea of Pennsylvania
System Not Yet Ready to
Express Opinion.

st. Paul, Mimi, Dec. %. - A. G.
Townley, president of the Non-Partis
an League, in an interview here Thurs
day gave two reasons, in his opin
ion why President Wilson took the
action he did regarding the railroad
situation.
First-The object lesson of other
nations. Z" s5t t7'70 -.'-'s -" t.-
Second-The break down Of the
American railways.
Ultimate Ownership.
~ hope that the presidents action
means ultimate ownership Of the rail
roads by the people, he said. 81 think
it does mean that. do not see how it
can mean anything else.
Other nations have seen that a
nation is best served when it controls
it's transportation facilities. Other ma
lions have gone further. Other ma
tions in this war are controlling the
manufacture and the distribution of
the things necessary to the nation
welfare A nations welfare is the
peoples welfare A nation is well off
in the same proportion that the mass
of it's people is well off. All of us do
not seem to realize that yet. | think
we will before long.
Roads Breaking Down.
Our railroads have been breaking
down for long time. The break
down is due to overcapitaliZation The
purpose of our railroads has been to
ray dividends not to give service. The
operators of our railroads are good
and efficient men. | do not suppose
there are any better in the world. But
they have been under the direction of
men who wanted dividends above all
things. Rolling stock, road beds,
everything else has been sacrificed to
dividends-to dividends on unnatural
capitalization. OF course the railroads
broke down. The president could do
nothing but take them if we are to
Lave efficient transportation.
I've are still, | see, to pay dividends
tothe railroads owners based on heir
v;atered stock. We are to guarantee
net incomes earned before June 1914.
wish it were otherwise. | wish we
were to pay these railroad owners
only what their physical properties
are worth and take the railroads into
public hands for good and all
Temporary Plan.
81 suppose that the president didn't
think it well to undertake such action
at this time. suppose he thought it
impossible to attempt physical val
uation in the stress Of these times. All
right. Apparently this plan is tenn
porary plan. The big thing is that a
great step in the right direction has
been taken. AS the stress of war eases
off, we can take further proper step
of an absolute ownership by the gov
eminent of our transportation facili.
ties. | hope this will happen. 1t is
sure thing that if government owner
ship and operation of the railroads is
good for US all in time Of war, it will
be good for us all in time Of peace.
Never Go Back.
81 hope our railroads will never go
back to the kind of private ownership
that they have had. Because private
ownership will always mean dividends
before service. The purpose OF rail
roads should be service before divi-
dends
Il hope this action of the president
means ultimate public ownership, be-
cause that means service first. l do
not see how the people can permit
else to happen"