Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-07-03
RAISED RATES ARE
ALWAYS PROTESTED
INCREASED FREIGHT CHARGES
MUST BE ACCEPTED BY THE
PUBLIC, NEVERTHELESS.
IS REALLY A WAR MEASURE
Agricultural Department Hopes to Use
conscientious Directors" In Work
on Gardens Around Army Camps
Trade Boycott of Germany.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

ny AK Hulk w. DUNN.
Washington. = Naturally shippers
protest against the advance In freight
rates. For nearly half century,
since the Granger movement was first
started. there has been a protest on
the part of shippers against high
freight rates. Most OF the prejudice
that has been built up against rail-
roads in the past has been due to the
belief on the part of shippers that
freight rates have been exorbitant. OF
course the shippers made the produc-
ers and the consumers pay these rates
and this prejudice among the people
finally resulted in the Granger legis-
lation in the several states and inter-
state commerce legislation by con-
gress, all with view of curbing the
railroads and reducing rates.
No one except Director General Nc
Adoo could have put over anything
quite so startling as the increase of
freight and passenger rates. And even
If government ownership or control
had come to us when we were not at
war, the people would not have stood
for the advance in freight rates. Pre-
viOuS to the war when the railroads
made an application for Is per cent
advance the protest against such an
Increase was such as to prevent 1t.
But as long as the railroads have
been taken over for war purposes and
are run by the government the in
creased rates must be accepted by the
public, although the. shippers will con-
tinue to protest.
The increase in passenger rates may
be protested, but the protests will be
ineffective, as the average individual
will not make complaint. Although
a large number of this average indi-
viduaT" makes up the public" he is
not very effective in protests because
his protests are individual instead of
collective as in the case of the ship
pers. The average individual will pay
his extra railroad fare and say moth
ing.
The agricultural department has an
idea that il can reach conscientious
DIRECTORS" those individuals who use
their conscience to prevent them from
going to war, by drafting them for
service in work on gardens around
army camps. The department has also
undertaken to utilize men who are
unfit for overseas duty for the same
purpose Maybe they will finally go
far enough to take German prisoners
and informed aliens and set them to
work growing crops. The Germans do
not hesitate to use all their prisoners
for work behind the lines, and in this
time of labor shortage the United
States might well do the same.
We have frequently heard men in
congress describe the difference be-
tween an "agriculturist" and a far
mer. AS one man put it: 1.-THE farmer
farms the farm and the agriculturist
farms the farmer" But it remained
for Congressman Caraway of Arkan-
sas to introduce new one. During
discussion of an agricultural bill in
the house he said: 81 have observed
that whenever bill dealing with agri-
culture is to be discussed, all shade
tree farmers arise" 1t was unfortu-
nate that he did not go further and
describe the "shade-tree farmer"
However, it may be surmised that the
"shade-tree farmer" is rarely covered
with the sweat and CRIME Of the fields
Possibly the U-boat warfare brought
to our own shores will result in arous-
ing the American people to
more thorough appreciation of the
fact that they are really in the
war. If our people would consider
for moment they would see that just
at present this nation Is really the
most important factor in the world
war. At present we do not have the
most troops nor the most ships, put
we are rapidly preparing to equal any
nation in the number of troops ana
also In the number of available trans
ports But a mighty factor In the
whole thing is that the United States
since III 6uCeIeu Tic wal mas
and fed the nations which are ngnt-
ing the central powers.
1t ought not to have taken an attack
by U-boats upon our ships within sight
of our shores to arouse our people.
But now that they are, aroused they
will probably make the Huns under
stand that they made a second mistake
in regard to the United States. The
first was when they forced this coun-
try into the war. This last attempt Is
one intended to frighten our people,
and the result will be to make them
more determined than ever to put an
end to German frightfulness.
Real economy knows no politics.
%n TI,0