The Washington times., 1918-12-12

tion and carrying out OF a comprehen-
sive program OF improvements OF the
railroads and their terminal facilities
which would immensely increase the
efficiency OF the transportation ma
chine. II would put back OF the rail-
roads the credit Of the United States
during the dve-year period so that the
financing OF these improvements could
he successfully carried out II would
offer the necessary opportunity under
proper conditions to test the value of
unified control. and the experience thus
gained would OF itself Indicate the per-
manent solution Of the railroad prob
lem.
"The American people have q right
to this test. They should not be de-
MED IL. 1t is to their interest that II
should be done. In my opinion, 1t is
the only practicable and reasonable
method OF determining the right solu-
tion OF this grave economic problem.
Test. So Far. Not ConeIusIve.
81 am not now and have not been
for the past year interested in prov
ing or disprovinE the theory OF gov
ernment ownership or any other
kind OF theory. The railroads have
been operated for the past year with
the purpose of serving efficiently the
paramount needs OF the war and at
the same time furnishing the best
possible service to the public.
whether such operation tended to
prove or to disprove any theory of
railroad control. no matter what IL
might be.
at have formed no opinion myself
as to what is the bes: disposition OF
the railroad problem because the test
has not been sufficient to, prove con-
ciusively the right solution of the
problem. I believe that a fve-year
test will give the American people
the right answer.
There are those who may say that
an extension OF hve years for such |
q test will mean Government owner
ship. Personally, I do not believe II.
But whether such a test would indi-
cate that the ultimate solution shall |
be Government ownership or a modi-
fed form of private ownership under
effective Federal regulation. should |
not cause US to hesitate or refuse to |
act It seems to me that in a de-
mocracy like ours. where public opin- |
ion and the judgment OF the ma
Jority must finally control, the plain |
duty is to take those steps which |
will fully inform public opinion, so |
that. the judgment may be based upon |
rather than upon theory.
should Face Condition SquareIy.
Those who may oppose an exten. |
lion of five years should face the sit |
ration squareIy and acknowledge |
that they prefer the immediate re-
turn of the railroads to private con-
troll under the old conditions with |
out remedial legislation II Is idle
to talk of a return to private control
under legislation which will cure the I
defects OF the existing laws. There |
Is neither time nor opportunity for /
such legislation at present. 1t Is i'm
possible and hopeless for the Govern
nent to attempt the operation OF the
"a ilroads for twenty-one months after
peace under the present law.
Therefore. the country should
sqUarely face the condition that the
railroads must promptly go back into
private control with all existing legal
difficulties unless the only practical
an extension OF time 4
is promptly granted.
"I hope that the Congress IN Its
wisdom will grant a five-year period
'or a test of unlfied railroad opera
ion under proper provisions OF law
which will make that test effective
Ind at the same time take the rail-
-oad question out OF politics while the
est is being made Unless this Is
lone do not hesitate to say the rail-
-oads should be returned to private
ownership at The earliest possible
The President has given me i
lis permission TO say that this con- n
;lusion accords with his own view OF
he matter"