The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-02-12
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP.

New York Times: Bills are penu'
/ ing at Washington for the extension
of government ownership TO coal
! mines, oil fields, and other pupilc
utilities On the other hand, there
are proposals for the return OF the
railways to their owners at nxeu
time, under conditions which cannon
be foreseen. There are dangers 10
be avoided in both directions. There
is urgent need for formal declaration
that the railways are taken over as
war measure, and for the a1lrma-
ton of the principle that government
control shall and will end as soon
as practicable after the ending OF the
emergency which 5ustihes II. other-
wise we might slip into government
ownership by negligence or mlsad-
venture.
How great that danger is appears
from the other bills which have no
basis in analogy to the railway pre-
cedent The capacity of the rail-
ways is greatly enlarged by operat-
ing them as unit. freed from the
restriction of certain laws. But coal
mines and oil fields cannot be ANAL
gamated, nor would there be adyan-
tage in uniting them. A railway is
growing thing; a natural product
is diminishing quality II 1T IS
worked The greatest output from
unrelated units is to be had only by
working each individuality to its
maximum capacity, whereas the
effect of uniting them under one
management would be to deaden all
| rivalries in production. In the war
crisis this is endurable regarding the
railways, but after the war there Is
| to be expected the deadening effect
of bureaucratic management as exem-
plified everywhere, always. Even at
| the present moment the users OF the
railways are suffering at the hands
of the government what they never
would have endured from private
management, nor will endure from
| the government moment longer
than is necessary.
Now there is not even whisper
against the increase of demurrage
rates to $40 day, and there is To
be a special clear-up week within
which freight is to be taken away
from terminals. This is only fore
taste of what lies before the ship
pers. What will be their standing tt
oppose the motion made yesterda!
for another Is per cent. increase o
rates to help the government beal
the burden of the deficit which
has assumed as a war measure, ant
without chance of benefit to the rail
ways? Neither will passengers es
cape government operation. tn
New Haven Cancelled eighty-twe
trains, the Pennsylvania $50, AM
other roads Cancelled enough passer
ger accommodations to release so
locomotives and 5000 men for freigh
duty.
The public benefits by the break
ing of the coal and freight biockades
and the passengers wall in val
; while the war lasts. But what wi
the passengers and the shippers sa
when the war argument comes to 1t
, end? viii they endure indefinitel
their deprivation by government {
, what private management gave them
t The shippers who have enjoyed tn
worlds lowest rates will pine fc
: them again as their burdens a.
] proach to the rates exacted by go
eminent roads everywhere, and wi
= see that they cannot have them BAG
: again unless they appreciate an
: support the private managemel
which they opposed too long. Labt
also will not be more comfortab
! under government operation than tt
= postal employees are now. III
unions see that they deal with pl
yate management on better tern
I than with government officials, ar
5 frd that government wages are {
!. frozen and infiexible as governmel
:, rates.
= On the whole. the strongest arg
o ment against government ownersh
d outside congress is the same as tn;
q against government regulation
railway economics as apart from IA
r way morals. The experiment wi
afford experience which will be ;
fatal against ownership as again
unwise regulation, and it may
+, hoped that the decision will tai
= less time.