The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-10
FRESHNESS AND GOVERNMENT

transportation.
 BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT
 The great forces in the railway world and those who are hereafter to ee developed can. 1t is believed, best serve the public by acting in thorough cooperation with the government pro vided wise legislation is adopted anu also provided that the government acts through a competent administrative board in thorough cooperation with the railroads.
 The experience of the government with the railroads since the war be- gan and especially since MT. McAdoo became Director General has shown
 that it Is of vital importance that the government and the railroad managers act in full corporation. Railway man agers say, however that If 1t is fm- portant in time of-war. 8 relation of that kind should be fully as important in time of peace, especially as it is of utmost importance If we take advant- age of our opportunities. that railway and water transportation be relied upon to supplement the output of the industries of the United States for which there is to be stupendous de.
 mand after the war.
 | Reports comes from England that | the government of Great Britain is considering the expediency of chang l ing its long established policy with
 respect to diplomatic appointments.
 That government seems to have learned
 lesson from the United States. For l it has been the policy of the United
 States in recent years to name as ann l bassadors and ministers to foreign
 courts men who have gained we'll de- 1 served regulations for ability in busi- ness or financial life Gov Myron Her.
 rick of Ohio was named as ambassador
 to France not because he had been suc- cessful in politics so much as because
 he had been eminently successful in l business life. There came abundant justification for the appointment of
 Governor Herrick as ambassador to | France immediately after the German armies began their march towards i Paris His business experience and
 financial ability. his unusual executive capacity were of inconceivably great service at that time. Men who gained | reputation in the business world have 1 represented us recently in Russia and l In England and the British government
 has taken heed of the special qualified
 tion of these American business men 1 who are said now to have surpassed
 some of the British diplomats in the | success of their achievements.
 What is true of our diplomacy. as re- l dected by the success of our business men of great ability, who have served l or are now serving as our representa- tives abroad, is according to the com mon view entertained here, equally I true of the relation of business men who have achieved greatly to the gov ernment at this time of emergency More and more the government is in viting to it's service the cooperation of II. AI.A |. sociated with what was called "Bie | Business" It is a cooperation which many hope will be continued in spirit if not in actual detail and form, after the war is ended.
 One of the business men of great achievement has within few days !. stated through a publication of the orr ganization of which he is president
 that "the ideal plan for the railroads
 and the. government lies somewhere between, and not far in principle from the plan now adopted temporarily which is identified by the appointment
 of Mr. McAdoo as director general of
 the railroads The government should be great supervising authority in
 the transportation industry, but in that industry an opportunlty should be kent open for individual initiative and en-
 terprise. The possibilities of improve
 ment are too great for the industry
 to be standardized and fixed In it's
 methods under the deadening influence or bureaucratic management"