The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-13
McAdoo's Rad Railway Medicine.

McAdoo's Rad Railway Medicine.
Director General MCADoo makes a
lame argument for extending-rlght
uow-the Governments operation Of
the railroads to cover five years from
Rext January. 1t Is true enough, as
he says. that the Government has not
had chance yet to show whether 1t
can make unreasonable success out Of
Its experiment, which thus far has
been an undoubted failure. 1t may
be that even in the next two years
there would not be time TO prove the
merits of Government operation one
way or the other. 1t is beyond ques-
ton that the present statutes govern
ing the Director Generals powers are
faulty. And II is as clear as sun
shine that the Government has so
tangled up the whole railroad situa-
ton, has so completely transformed
the normal business of the carriers
and has so utterly demoralized the
individual units that to turn the
roads back abruptly to their owners
would cause nothing less than ma
tional disaster.
But, while all those truths stand
out big and startling before the eyes
of everybody, IL does not follow that
n single conclusion Of the Director
General is either logical or lucid.
In the first place, no matter what
ought TO be done about the railroads,
the last authority to do 1t should be
this now expiring Congress. Mr.. Nc
Aboo should not forget, no man con-
pected with the United States Gov
eminent should permit himself to for
get, that the Congress which still sits
ID Washington has been strikingly re-
pudiated by the American people.
They Voted In November. that they
wanted nothing more of the present
House and Senate majority but its
disappearance from the Government.
Any unfinished business that was in
the hands of this Congress on the
day of election might justifiably be
closed up. But in the face of the ma
tlon's decree in November that this
Congress must get out, 1t is sheer
defiance of the popular will for the
rejected legislative body to try to jam
through new business, and such in
cdnparably grave business, in it's last
dying hours.
Whatever Is done about the rall-
iFoads by any Congress authority, it
sshould be done by the new legislative
fifajorities chosen by the American
People last month TO take the place Of
Those put out. No other hands should
tanch the job.
sgIn the second place, If Mr.. McADoo
doesn't know now what this problem
needs, and by his own admission he
doesn't, then no snap solution should
be given at this moment either by q
repudiated Congress or by an Endorsed
Congress. Six months hence, or n
year hence, or some time between to-
day and the existing time limit on the
Governments operation, the Director
General OF Railroads whoever he
may be-, President WILSON. the Sen
ate. the House and the country will
see this railway problem in n clearer
light than IL Is now possible for any.
body to see IL. 1t may he possible
then for the students of this problem,
those within and those without the
Government, to reach sound cOncu-
sions and TO make definite recommcn-
datlons as 10 the legislation needed.
whether the ronds are to stay in CON
troll of, the Government or are to 20
back to their owners. If they do, that
will be the time to act. If they don't.
The fact will be all the stronger proof
That nothing should have been done
before in doubt and ignorance
In tho third place. there ]" no ius-
hce and there Is no reason I'm Mr..
-MCADoo'S conclusion that II the DI.
rector Genera, cannot have at once
another five year license for further
Laboratory work on the TRANSPORTATION
system of thts nation the Government
must pick MP the pieces and throw
them all in a jumblel wreck back at
the beads Of the owners from whom
they we're taken without n notice of
1--WE seconds, with the we'll ordered
systems Immediately so reShaped that
they are scarcely recognizable to-day
by their own parents. After It's cont |
piete dislocntiOn Of the American rail T,
way system The Government could nor
do such thing rs that without bring. ,
ing upon Itself tho irrcfutahle charg, !
ihat II lad muddlrh ana unused this !,
railway problem only to duck it when !
the time came for It to make good
on Its experiment or to try.
Inc railroads under the Govern
menss operation are sick, but Mr.. |
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