The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-01-04

- - pDGluU dji(icultiee, which can.
Fl - wefs9 eoalursd away. give wa,
ool9fu ~ ~ mlnagsrnsnt
sR Jhe eeWmoa adnsinhtration will bs
orrIe1 e1t With - little disturbance oi
- pseesat operasing organization and
psreopnel Of the railways ~ possible
Ntnjao Will be altered or disturbed
Which u 10 not necessary .to disturb.
W. ~ serving the public interest and
eefeogSrdihg the public safety but We
0te slse rsgsrdful OF the interest oi
thpee by whom these sres, properties
en- owned and glad 10 avail ourselves
n the experience and trained ability
Of those who have been managing than,
Pirvt Cossidsr Transportatioa,
10 necessary that the trsnsports.
tion Of troops aid materials, OF food and
Of fuel and Of everything that Is Tec3.
Ssry for the full mobilization Of the
energies and resources OF the country
should be first considered, but u Is
clearly in the public interest also that
the ordinary activities and the normal
industrial and commercial life OF the
country should be interiered with and
disiocated as little as possible and the
public may rcst assured that the in
tefest and convenience OF the private
shipper will be as carefully served and
safeguarded as Il is possible to serve
and safeguard il in the present extra
ordinary circumstances,
Owners Should Be Paid,
While the present authority bi the
executive suificed for all purposes OF
administration, and while, OF course, all
private interests must for the present
give way to the particular necessity, II
Is, | am sure you will agree with me,
rieht and necessary that the owners and
creditors Of the railways, the hclder'
OF their stocks and bonds should receive
from the government an unqualified
guarantee that their properties will be
maintained throughout the period OF
federal control In as good repair and
as complete equipment as at present
and that the several ROADS will receive
under federal management such com
pensation as Is equitable and just alike
10 their owners and to the general pub
Tic. | would suggest the average net
railway operating income OF the three
years ending June 30, 1917. ! earnestly
recommend that these guarantees be
given by appropriate legislation, and
given as promptly as circumstances
permit.
Such Guarantees Necessary,
I need not point out the essential
Justice OF such guarantees and meit
great influence and significance as ele'
ments in the Sresrnt financial and m
dustrist situation OF the country. IN
deed, one OF the strong arguments Tor
assuming control OF the railroads at
this time is the financial argument
II Is necessary that the values OF rail,
way securities should be Justly and
fairly paid and that the large ilnanr'
cial operations every year necessary III
connection with the maintenance, ope~
ton and development OF the ROADS
should, during the period OF the war
be wisely related to the financial opera
tions OF the government
Our first duty is, OF course, to con-
serve the common interest and the com
mon safety and to make certain that
nothing stands In the way OF the sue
cessful prosecution Of the great war for
liberty and justice, but il Is al obliga'
tion OF public conscience and OF public
honor that the private interests we dis
turb should be kept safe from unjust
injury and Of the utmost consequence
10 the government itself that all great
financial operations should be stabil.
lied and eo.ordinated with the financial
operations OF the government,
Treasury to vise Borrowing.
No borrowing should run athwart
The borrowings OF the federal treasury,