Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-05
President On Railroad
Control.

NOnIIOl.
lii his address before congress yes
terday President Wilson went over
much Of the ground that he covered
in his original announcement incident
to the government assuming control Of
the railroads as war emergency
measure. He said he would have been
remiss in his duty in the premises
had he failed In SO doing; that the
transportation facilities were not
what they should be in protecting the
nation at a time when it must have
the maximum Of service from every
branch of activity.
The railroad executives comprising
the war board had done all that it
was possible for them to accomplish,
with problems to face that could not
be erased while the individual rights
of the various lines had to be safe
guarded in the interest of the owners.
Each member OF the board had his
obligation to the road that he was per-
sonally associated with to conserve in
addition to that of the government.
He is not accused of having placed
personal interest above that of the
government, but the longer the board
continued in charge Of operation the
more clear it became that it would
be necessary to take the step fol-
lowed by the president. The govern
ment is in position to eliminate obsta-
cles that could not be removed under
the order of operation that prevailed
previous to the act Of the president.
1t already has made changes that will
increase the effectiveness of the trans
portation system Of the nation. Where
there might have been a division of
opinion among the war board mem
bers over the adyisability Of annulling
trains the government simply issues
an order that 1t be done.
There Is no recourse from the ruling
OF the dictator 1t is not intended that
the latter shall conduct his Office with
high hand and without due consid-
Grafton for the welfare Of the proper
ties whose destinies are placed In his
charge. On the contrary, he shall
continue to have the counsel of the
railroad managers who have been
serving as directors of the roads OF
the country, in all Of the innovations
that he has in contemplation. Neither
is it the purpose to disturb the man
agerial systems of the various lines
the aim being to leave the, individual
businesses in the practical hands that
have heen cODductinp them
What is sought is unification AND
coordination. the discontinuance Of
non-essential trains, making every To-
connective and train perform a maxi
mum Of service. While the foremost
thought is to be in the movement o.
troops and war supplies, the private
shipper is not to be ignored. On the
contrary, the president is of the be
lief that he will be better taken care
Of. under the new arrangement thar
he has been heretofore
The president informed congress
that the government may be obliged
to advance money in its railroadint
enterprise, but he was confident tina
such loans as were required would b.
readily forthcoming when sought
While federal control is revolution
airy for the United States, it is no
intended that it shall involve hard
ships either on employees or upon tn
owners of the properties, in whici
hundreds OF millions are invested
The governments aim is that, Will
the government and the people as
whole will gain in speeding OF wa
nronarotiOns nobody shall los
through the undertaking. In this con
nection 1t might be explained that al
OF the railroads are placing employee
whose positions have been nullified b
the new arrangement in other worl
These include passenger and freigh
solicitors and crews of annulled train.
The railroads, it is stated, have wor
for all OF them.