Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-12-16
The Straight Road to Govern
ment Ownership.
(From the New York Times)

(From the New York IimeS)
Il do not, or have not at least, felt
that it was necessary to take :he
,, actual ownership of the railroads"
says Mr. McAdoo, and then he recon-
mends to Congress a plan which, II 1t
had been put forth by convention OF
Socialists called to recommend and
promote Government ownership,
would everywhere have been reccG-
niZed as well contrived, adroit, and, i
accepted, sufficient to accomplish ITS
purpose. MIR. McAdoo would con-
tinue Government operation Of rail-
roads for a period of five years, and
within that time he would have the
Government authorized TO spend
$500. 900, 900 a year, total OF 32,5oo.-
600 900. for comprehensive improve
lnents" of the roads to meet the
worlds needs. Here is the argument
in q nutshell:
1t would put back Of the railroads
the credit of the United States d,sing
the tive-year period. so that the
financing of these improvements
could be successfully carried ont. 1t
would offer the necessary opportun-
ity under proper coalitions to test
the value of unified control, and the
experience thus gained would OF it
self indicate the permanent solution
of the railroad problem.
For the owners of railroad proper
ties. for the chief men OF railroad
systems who for Years have spent
toilsome days and siecpless night in
3 -, tn find n .
lines in repair and equip Them, this
is an aiiu'ing proposal The hard
conditions of Government - .aton
: have destroyed the credit of tile rail
roads. now the Government offers to
use its own credit for the needed i'm
provements. If railway owners and
managers were all short -Sightcd they
would espousc Mr.. McAdoo's plan in
body But the people must be con-
suited. They are taken care of by
/ the five-ycar plan of control. 1t re-
/ quircs no unusual gilt of foresight TO
/ see what would happen. Under MI.
A:cAdoU'S administration Of the ma
ti0ns railW avs there has been great
advance in wages to the operating
/ force. an addit...S to the payrolls or
according to the estimate Of The
Financial Chronicle, reaching S100,-
, 100000. There is an immense voting
+! force in that payroll force that
! could be safely counted on ly the adj
vocatea of Government ownership.
Congress would feel the pressure, Ad-
mini5trations would yield, if they did
not lead, tho champions of State So
Cialisin would be as busy as bees the
country over. political aspiration
would enlist icCions Of campaign ora
tors, and at the end of the fiveycar
period there would be little doubt as
/ to what permanent solution of tho
railroad problem" would be indicated.
That Mr.. McAdoo intends by this
plan to start the country on its way
to Government ownership is not to be
assumed or believed. That the adop-
ton of his plan would lead straight
to Government ownership can hardly
be doubted. The problem confronts
us, this is his solution of it. He sees
but three courses open: Government
operation for one year and nine
months; q prompt return Of the rail-
roads to private control, or the eN-
tension Of that period for five years,
his own plan. We are shut up to
these three solutions because the
present Congress will have no time TO
legislate intelligently concerning the
problem, and if it does not solve it
the roads must be returned to their
owners Surely Mr.. McAdoo knows
that ConcroSs is q continuing E0dV
We are not aware that there is an ur-