The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-02-20

National and State Banks, and
many thousands of small and large
investors, have suffered seriously
from the decline of the earning ca
pacity of public utility corporations
and the consequent shrinkage in the
value of their securities, representing
investments of many hundred millions
of dollars. These losses naturally d.
minish the power and disposition OF
the public to respond to the calls OF
the Government for money for war.
This danger should arouse. | venture
to suggest, the anxiety and stimulate
the efforts of the Congress and of ev.
cry patriotic citizen. A more urgent
and pressing peril is forced upon our
attention by the obvious fact that we
are dependent so largely on the etti-
cheney and strength of these corpora
lions and on our railroads for speed
and success in preparing for and pros
ecuting the war.
The corporations referred to supply
light, heat, power and electric railway
transportation for passengers and
freight. They touch intimately the
daily life of the people. In normal
times they have been favorite targets
for sneers and savage criticisms from
large parts of the public and the
press In some instances doubtless,
they have deserved and invited hos
tility. In others, the attacks upon
them probably have been unjust and
unreasonable. Frequently they have
been the victims or beneficiaries of
local politics, suffering injury in the
end in either case. Yet, generally,
they were able to serve the needs of
their communities with reasonable eff
ficiency and to earn fair returns on
the money invested in them. Now
they are threatened with ruin If
they are allowed to sink into ineffici-
ency much of the most important war
work of the Government will be Grip
pied or paralyzed.
The work of war has thrown upon
many of these corporations strains
which they are unable to endure with
out prompt help The costs of their
labor and of all material for opera
ton, betterment, and upkeep have
increased heavily and suddenly They
are required to increase radically
and quickly their service and facili'
ties Industries manufacturing wal
munitions and materials demand OF
the public utilities corporations con
stantly greater supplies of power and
light At the industrial centers, cal
lines are being rushed and overbur
dened by new armies of workers. The
gas companies are called upon fol-
gas for cooking and heating in guam
titles beyond all normal calculations
and far beyond their present capaci
ties. They are urged continually tt
furnish more coke and coal by-prod
ucts. toluol, and other elements abso
lutely essential in modern warfare
Where cantonments have been estat
lished, the demands on the resource
of water lighting, and transportation
companies are specially severe; abb
ity to comply with such demands /
necessary for the safety and comfor
of fighting men in training.
A committee representing the fou
leading associations, which includ
all the principal electric light an
power companies street railway con
panies and the most important ga
companies of the country, recent
submitted to this office a report whic
attention was asked to the increas
within the last two years in the CO..
of materials they must use for IL
maintenance of their propertie
They gave list of percentages =
additional cost, showing among OF
ers the following items:
Increase from 1915 to 1912
Copper wire Observation-Disclosures. /