Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-01
WI SAY SOMETHING ABOUT
THE TROLLEY SERVICE

TUE critic too oftsn is cheek by jowl with
the slanderer. when mercy is my
'p1ea." said one Of the shrewdest criminal
hwyers America has produced, 81 work for
\ Jury Of men over forty. They know
What human weakness is, but the young.
rter demands an eve for an eye. There is
no mercy in him." The more men know
'ths less likely are they to be severe in
their arraignments. It is the fool who
builds cable under the Atlantic, con-
structs Monitor or puts an engine under
some canvas frames and plays tag with
sasleP. The genius is always fool to
practical men-he would not be genius
~ he were practical himself. A community
may become as acquiescent as the forty
Aveyearold citizen. When 1t does, the
sxuberant younsster paints a picture of it
~ quoting a bromide to the effect that
ssshe town needs a few first class funerals"
I Fiankford and Bridesburg yesterday sent
= committee to walt on the Mayor and reg
3 ipter complaint about the trolley service.
We wonder why it was not made long ago.
supposedly the local company would be
very indignant were Uncle Sam to bring
his nst.a down and say: You, gen.
3lemen. are holding up my work. You
: ere responsible for conditions that spread
6issa&isfaction among the men at the
Trankford Arsenal. Aye, there is hardly a
factory working for me in the whole dis
!: tr1ct you serve which is not handicapped by
ths miserable service you are giving. You
2aSp part Of the war machine and you are
lockfng up. I want relief and want it
4 quick" Yet that is exactly what Uncle
I 0am ought to say and 1t is exactly what
4 Be viii say to tile local company unless
Il gathers itself together and. fulhlls its
ehligAtions to this community.
The company is working under diff
eAlties. So is every other industry in
NhilAdeIphia. The company cannot get
this and cannot get that for repairs but
~ one necessary thing an automobile
truck might bring from Schenectady and
the other a feet of trucks might bring
from somewhere else OF course, II the
management simply throws up its hands
ana concludes to do nothing, since 1t can.
not do things in the old way, there will
never be any relief, But we imagine that
aS1lfosized American citizen, with Ameri-
ean energy in his blood and American
1rlvo IN his nerves. could put some Of the
unussd cars back in service, clean a few
Rf the others and manage somehow or
oz1er to furnish service at the rush hour.
~ % Per cent good. There is shortage
|1k 1octors In the city, but the others hustle |
- naks up for the deficiency. We suspect. |
koWovsr. that double the number will not |
~ enough II citizens much longer are sub |
1stsd to the hardships they have recently |
aasd
N GranttAg all claims made by the COM |
%e&t n sxtenuation Of its failure to per- |
lin ~ obligations Its plea is still only |
~ for mercy. 1t is not delivering the |
opo1st II IL not within even reasonable
6Iotsnce Of efficiency. 1t has fallen down.
w want to help it up again. The public |
= willing to enter a verdict. mot guilty |
m ~ not do it again" But the public Is |
\ N wiling to permit continuance Of the
n<ltion. Virtually every industry and |
~ IN the city is demanding relief, for
1<1olly every industry and store In the
Y ~ q 4 sufferer. And why not? Is it
s. = Nz1eiliating that the Industrial arsenal |
~ p&ioninarms should be impeded
4nctioning by so simple thing as
~ qorvice? Shall we play at war. by |
>l1e the rhiladelphia Rapid Transit
hi to fall down and impede the |
~ of production7 Certainly not.
ntatives Of the p. r. T.. who |
~ With the Mayor. promised better
y NE indignant residents" says
6ccount We suggest to, the man.
Il take immediate measures
hettr service not only from
~ fsr ths entire city. ana we
~ Mayor that ne more i'm.
Nv rests on him Just now than
~ powers 70 the uttermost to
ne1essanent dpss rive better