New-York tribune., 1918-12-01

lines are not economic lines. Congress
should provide, as it has power to pro-
vlde-asidc from war powers-a COM
pTehensive plan Of regulation with re-
laton to districts corresponding to the
b"opt divisions of actual operations,
ana the entire field of the activities of
interstate carriers should be. covered
appro 'riately by recognition of the in
terdependence of through and local
rates and Of the interblending of op-
erat:S ms in the conduct of interstate
and local business, so that in the exer-
else of the dominant power of Congress
tor the protection of interstate COM
merce all conflicting regulations would
be avoided and the basis of efficiency
secured.
"The question of government owner
ship and operation is, after all, a Sc
verelN practical one. Of course there
are those whose interests lie simply
in extending the activities of govern
ment so as to embrace all industry and
who ire endeavoring to proceed along
what they conceive to be the line of
the least resistance in trying to keep
IN government hands in time of peace
what has been taken temporarily by
reason of the exigencies of war.
Banks an American Instinct
TIE instinct of the American people
believe can be trusted to thwart the
insidious plans of these enemies of
liberty who, if given their way, would
not stop short of a tyranny which,
whatever name it might bear, would
leave little room for preference as
compared with Prussianism.
Passing the ambitions-which are
not to be ignored-of these pseudo
democrats, the question Of the govern
ment ownership and operation Of rail
roads and other instrumentalities of
communication is really one of eff
ficiency and political control. SO far
as investment is concerned, it will
exist in either case. Whether cor
porate bonds and stocks, or the fair
value OF the properties in government
ponds with guaranteed returns, are
held, makes little difference from the
standpoint of investment Perhaps the
latter might be preferred by many
Ihe important question is not that of
investment. 1t goes deeper and touches
the service to the public and the
soundness of our political life.
ut is regrettable, but it is true, that
governmental enterprise tends con-
stantly to inefficiency. 1t would, from
any point Of view, be unsafe to take
the experience of the last wear as a
guide The splendid stimulus of the
war spirit put US at our best. The
genera disposition to serve and to
be content made conditions execution
ally advantageous for governmental
eXr iiment.
War Precluded Fair Test
Again, the situation in the past wear
with respect to the movement of traf-
nc has been abnormal. But, apart from
these considerations, the experiment
would not appear to afford a basis
for expecting net balance of benefits
IN government ownership and manage
ment. | do not mean to imply that
the record of private enterprise is an
agreeable one, but on fair exam
lnat'an of conditions where govern
mental management has been main
tanned, | believe that from the stand
point of efficiency the comparison ia
vors private enterprises and that in
tnis country we cannot afford to ignore
the fact that inefficiency is the blight
upon our public undertakings. It can
not Nj to be observed that even in
connection with the war, despite the
endeavor and patriotic impulse of
countless workers, inefficiency in i'm
port&nt fields of activity has been no.
torious.
THE notion that the conduct of busi-
ness by government tends to be effl-
clent is a superstition cherished by
those who either know nothing of gov
ernment or who know nothing of bust
ne The tendency is strongly the
ot.eI way.
"8ut in endeavoring to escape the