Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-01-12

transportation Of troops and Of ,pas
materials, of food and of fuel pnd -
everything that is necessary for tho
full mobilization of the energies and
resources of the country, should ba
first considered but it is clearly in tbo
public interest also that the ordieary
activities and the normal Industrial
and commercial life of the country
should be interfered with and dis.
turbed as little as possible, and the
public may rest assured that the inter.
est and convenience of the private
shipper will be as carefully served and
safeguarded as it is possible to serve
and safeguard 1t III the present ex.
traOrdinary circumstances.
To Keep Lines In Good Repair.
"While the present authority Of the
executive suffices for all purposes of
administration and while, of course. all
private interests must for the present
give way to the public necessity, it is,
/ am sure you will agree with me, right
and necessary that the owners and
creditors of the railways, the holders
of their stocks and bonds, should re.
ceive from the government an unQual.
flied guaranty that their properties will
be maintained throughout the period of
federal control in as good repair and
as complete equipment as at present.
andO that the several roads will receive.
under federal management such com.
pensation as is equitable and just alike
to their owners and to the general
public.
Il would suggest the average net
railway operating income of the three
years ending June 30, 1917. l earnest
ly recommend that these guarantees
be given by appropriate legislation and
given as promptly as circumstances
permit"
IDEAL Justly With Securities"
'Ineed not point out the essential jus
tice Of such guarantees and their great
influence and significance as elements
In the present financial and industrial
situation of the country. Indeed, one u
the strong arguments for assuming con
troll of the railroads at this time is the
financial argument 1t is necessary
that the values of railway securities
should be justly and fairly paid and
that the large financial operations ev-
cry year necessary in connection with
the maintenance, operation and deve-
opment of the roads should, during the
period of the war, be wisely related to
the financial operations of the govern
ment.
Our first duty is, OF course, to CON
serve the common interest and the
common safety and to make certain
that nothing stands in the way of the
successful prosecution of the great war
for liberty and justice, but it is an
obligation of public conscience and Of
public honor that the private interests
We disturb should be kept safe from
unjust injury. and it is Of the utmost
consequence to the government itself
that all great financial operations
should be stabilized and &C 0rdinated
with the financial operations Of the
athwart the borrowings Of the federal
treasury and no fundamental indus
trial values should anywhere be un-
necessarily impaired. In the hands Of
many small investors in the country, as
well as in national banks, in insurance
companies, in savings banks, in trust
companies in financial agencies Of ey.
cry kind, railway securities, the sum
total of which runs up to some $40
O00000,000 or $11.O0000O. coo, consti-
tute a vital part of the structure Of
credit, and the unquestioned soliditv
of that structure must be maintained .
THE secretary of war and easily
agreed that, In view of the many com-
pick interests which must be safe
guarded and harmonizeG, as well as
because of his exceptional experience
and ability in this new field of govern
mental action, Hon William G. Nc
Adoo was the right man to as
sumo direct administrative control ot
this new executive task. At our re-
quest he consented to assume the au-
''AtA''J hbNe AdAANo VI OtSdlllEbT anu tt-
rector general of the new railway ad-
mlnlstratiOn. He has assumed those
duties and his work is in active prog
reSs
May Need Treasury Grants.
1T is probably too much to expect
that even under the unified railway nd
ministration which win now be pos
sible sufficient economies can be ef-
fected in the operation Of the raj.
ways TO make 1t possible to add TO
their equipment and extend their op-
erative facilities as much as the pres
ent extraordinary demands upon their
use will render desirable without re-
sorting to the national treasury for
the funds. If II is not possible. It will,
OF course, be necessary to resort 10
the congress for grants of money for
that purpose. The secretary of he
treasury will advise with your commit
tee with regard to this very practice
aspect of the matter. For tbe .sa=-