New-York tribune., 1918-12-01
Harness War Strength
To Trade, Says Hughes
Perls of Industry All Can Be Bridge by Common
Cooperation and Modified Federal Regulation,
He Informs Columbia Institute of Arts

Charles E. Hughes outlined some Of
the peace perils confronting the coun-
try last night in an address before the
Institute of Arts and Sciences of Co.
lumbia University and declared his
faith in the ability of the nation to
meet them. But in order to meet and
conquer them, he said, the great lesson
of the war, that justice was supreme,
must not be forgotten
The nation must recede from GEN.
| trallzed government to a balanced, har-
: n,onzed government based on this
fprinciple, he said. AS to the ownership
and operation of railroads, politics and
efficiency constituted the touchstone of
solution of that problem, he declared.
tie added that the government Of this
country never had been noted for the
enlclency OF its enterprises. Mr.,
Hughes said in Part:
War Has Turned Mems Heads
Some anxiously ask, What has be-
come of cur form of government In
saving the world have we lost our re-
PUBLIC? The astounding snectacle Of
centralized control which we have wit
messed has confused many and turned
The heads of some. But this for the
most part has been the manifestation
OF the republic in arms, fighting as a
unit, with powers essential to self
preservation, which the Constitution
not only did not deny but itself CON
ferred
80 far as we have harnessed our
strength Tor war we were acting under
the Constitution and not in violation
OF 1T. But wherever in the desire 60
take advantage Of the situation for the
purpose of fastening some new policy
upon the country there has been resort
to arbitrary power through acts un-
justified by real or substantial relation
to state of actual war, such acts will
receive the condemnation they deserve
when they are brought to the determi-
nation OF the proper tribunals.
with the ending of the war we
find ourselves with the familiar consti-
tutional privileges and restrictions, and
1t behooves officers Of government to
realize that to make pretence of mill
tary exigency for ulterior purposes,
when military necessity has ceased, is
simply an abuse of power which will
not be permitted to escape censure
ut is undoubtedly true that when
ever, during the war;. extraordinary
powers were tttingly exercised and
governmental control was assumed for
war purposes, the readjustment to con-
dltlons of peace must, of course, be
effected gradually and with the cir
cumspection essential to the protection
of all the public and private inter
ests involved. But the immediate pur-
pose should be to readjust as soon as
may be, not to use war powers to con-
troll peace conditions, proceeding es-
sentially vicious and constituting the
most serious offence against our insti-
tutions.
What changes we shall desire to
make in order to suit new conditions
which follow the war we must make
deliberately after discussion and with
proper authorizations
There is just as much danger to our
prosperity in undue decentralization as
in overcentralization. Take our rail
roads as an example. If we are not to
have government ownership we must
have a sensible plan of regulation. We
must have plan of regulation which
will permit sound credit and growth,
which will stabilize securities and offer
inducements for investment, while in
suring adequate service at reasonable
rates.
Regulation Is a Crying Need
"The democracy saved by world
war ought to be able to supervise great
undertakings in a fashion which will
really serve the. common interest Reg
ulation which does not promote ef-
ficiency is condemned, and with
respect to interstate carriers state