The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-02-21
ROAD OWNERSHIP
WILL Be ISSUE IN
1920 ELECTION
Lewis, Illinois, Predicts QueS-
lion 10 Be Dominant Then

WASHINGTON. Feb p Senator
Lewis OF Illinois. speaking in the senate
today. declared the administration rail
road bin Is a iorefunnef Of government
control over various public utilities and
predicted that the question would be
the great domestic issue IN the neN'
presidential campaign
"Let ~ not deceive OursclNrs a. 10
the meaning Of this measure Senator
Lewis declared
This IS The beginning Of the govern
meni taking the railroad, a. a govern
ment agency The roads will never BE-
permitted 10 return 10 the former state
Of personal control Tor private benefit
At the same time this country takes
over the railroads II will take the tslt-
graph and telephone privileges and then
the products Tor fuel, particularly The
lands Of coal and oil and put these IN
der government direction
Everything to Be Controlled.
Shll agencies OF this nature in this
republic necessary 10 the public welfare
Of man. will he taken BY the govern
ment as a necessary protection Of the
republic"
The railroads, Senator Lewis de-
elared. confessed their inability to meet
the situation and by sufrenderng to the
government admitted that the one power
capable 10 carry on the work under the
existing conditions was the government
Itself.
Pnvats Ownership Failed.
The government now conducts The
road, and directs them as the proof
Of it's power and ability TO do So" he
asserted. Private ownership Of rail.
roads failed rs for the purpose of send
ing supplies to ships or for transport OF
soldiers for foreign service. What
would be the calamity under private
ownership II enemies were al our gates
and in possession of our country,
"Let us announce that the United
States is a government and shall
assume governmental responsible
titles in protecting all public agencies
OF human welfare from being a monopo-
ly Of private p%illage"
II this is done, Senator Lewis said.
any bolshevik uprising in the United
States will be avoided
WASHINGTON. Feb. 2l.-Orposi.
ton 10 the house draft Of the admins
tration's railroad bill, particularly rs
provisions for eompensating the roads,
determining rates and fixing the period
OF government, retention, after the war,
was voiced today by Representative
Eseh Of Wisconsin. ranking republican
member OF the interstate commerce
Committee.
Compensation Too High.
Representative Esch. speaking for The
minority OF the committee, declared the
proposed rate OF compensation is too
high: that the power TO initiate rates
should rest with the interstate COM
nerce commission, rather than with the
president, and the railroads should he
returned to their owners one year or
less after the proclamation OF peace,
instead OF two years, as proposed by
the house bill.
Surplus to Government.
"Owners OF Our railroads should he
content to receive a guarantee OF pay
ment of all fixed charges" Repre-
sentative Esch said, Including opcrat-
ing expenses, taxes and interest and
regular dividends on outstanding
stock, any surplus above such payment
ought either to 90 to the government
20 aid il in meeting the guarantee, or
be equally divided between the owners
and the government"