Williston graphic., 1918-03-07
WASHINGTON LETTER
By CONGRESSMAN p ID. Norton

Washington, D. c., March 5.-The
Administrations Railroad Bill is at
this time backed in the House and
Senate by such powerful influences
and by such a majority Of votes, that
the masters of finance and the big
gamblers in railroad stocks and bonds
will be we'll taken care of in the leg
islation to be finally enacted. IN the
light of all the evidence that has
come before the House and Senate
Committees, Congress should now de-
clare the purpose Of the government
to be to permanently take over the
ownership and control of all the rail-
roads of the country. Congress sees
the need and justice of making such
a declaration. Still it hesitates and
will not do the thing that should be
done. Congress is traditionally con-
servative and slow to take up the
new and leave the old, no matter how
the new may be or how bad the old
may be. 1t is difficult for Congress
to sever some of the strongest ties
which bind to the past. Not many
members of Congress now delude
themselves into believing that the
great railroad transportation systems
of the nation can long continue in
private ownership and control as in
the good, old railroad exploitation
days of the past. Private ownership
and control, which for many years
has largely meant special privilege
for those few men in control to free
ly plunder the public, has passed the
point where it is any longer tolerable
to thoughtful or honest men of the
country. Government ownership of
railroads is not without it's problems,
it's difficulties, and its DANGERS With
all that may be conjured up against
government ownership, it offers a
better solution of the railroad trans
portation problem of the country for
the future than may be expected from
further private ownership and con-
troll for the profits Of the few big
boys who operate the control machin-
cry. No matter in what form Cong
ress passes the Administrator Rail-
road Bill, government ownership will
not be long delayed. 1t would be lit
tie short of a crime against the pub
lie for the federal government to fl
nance and to rehabilitate the rail-
roads and then turn the mover again
to the control of private individuals
for private profits.
Food Administrator Herbert G.
Hoover annonced in the Washington
Post today that the full power and
influence of the Administration would
be used, if necessary, to prevent the
enactment of any Of the bills pend
ing in Congress to increase the price
of wheat for the crop Of 1918. Mr..
Hoover gives out the statement that
the agitation for a higher price for
this years wheat crop is checking the
flow of wheat to the terminals and
to the mills and threatens to stop it
entirely. Under the proposed raises,
he contends enormous profits would
90 to distributors who hold millions
of bushels of wheat and millions of
barrels of flour, and that farmers
would get very little Of these profits.
The wisdom and justice of comman-
deering for the government at pres
ent prices all the millions of bushels
of wheat and all the millions OF bar
rels of flour held by distributors,
seems difficult for Mr.. Hoover to un-
derstand. 1t would be an easy mat
ter for the Food Administrator to