The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-02-19
own ROADS
JOHNSON
ADVISES
California Senator Is
Against Temporary
Control Plan.
NATION TIRED OF
PRIVATE BUNGLING
Railways Have Broken
Down Under Increase
of Traffic.

Washington, Feb. 19-Per-
manent ownership of railroads
rather than government control
for the period of the war, was
advocated by Senator Johnson
of California today in a speech
opposing the Senate draft Of
the administrations railroad
bill.
81 would now take the inevitable
next step in government control of
our railroads" Senator Johnson de-
clared, and do whatever might be
essential to make that government
control permanent government own
ership, or at least leave the way open
so that Immediately on the ter1nina-
tion of the war we might follow to it's
logical conclusion what already we
have partly done"
The California senator protested Wig
orously the proposed rate of conpen-
satipn to he paid to the railroads un-
der the provisions of the bill and op-
posed the senate's plan to turn the
railroads back to private management
IS months after the conclusion of
peace.
In support of his declaration for
government ownership Senator John
son said that the railroads had broken
down under the stress of the last few
months; that, if the country is to have
efficient national transportation the
roads must be nationalized and oper-
ated by one directing head; that the
American people have paid the price
of private ownership" and that de
lspite barriers and obstacles, the ma
tion is marching straight to the goal
pf public ownership, and the people
at last will come into their own"
"What this proposed rate means.
added Senator Johnson, lis that the
interest on the outstanding bonds OF
! the railroads will be paid in accord
ance with the interest rates nov
fixed; it means, in addition, that or
the stock of the railroads of the coun'
try will be paid by the government Of
the United States something in eXces:
of 8 per cent. per annum; 1t mean:
that this percentage in excess of
: per cent. per annum is paid on al
the stock of all the railroads; /
: means that this percentage (and
e am speaking only of the minimum
I shall be paid by the people of tn
United States not only on the lesiti
i mate issues of the stock of railroad
e corporations but on every issue o
m
: sued-watered stock estimated at al
It most so per cent. of the total stool
: of these corporations-stoc repre-
: senting nothing but the greed an
the ayarice of railroad magnates."
Senator johnson digressed from hi
discussion of the railroad legislatio
= to express his approval of Presiden
s Wilson's recent stand against secre
diplomacy and the presidents polio
of addressing congress from time,
- time in "the open forum of tn
=, world"
- Senator johnson referred to tn
i work of the senate commerce com
mittee, of which he is a member, an
its investigation of the shipping ST
uation. Regarding the Hog lslan'
Pa, inquiry, he asserted:
'In one of the contracts entered
III the govenment-that with the Anne,
lican International Goa state of a
fairs beggaring description has d.
yeloped. The evidence demonstrates
~ wild saturnalia of extravaganza;
y brilliant phantasmagoria of patriot
pretense. And the pity and the shan
e. of it are that those who, with chee
RS full and almost studied disregard fl
Of every principle of economy, are was
If ing the money of the tax payers a
III some of the great captains of indu
te try of the nation"