The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1918-03-19
EXPRESS BUSINESS
CONTROL EXPECTED
wAsgINCTON is ASKING WHERE
IT WILL ALL END AND HOW
"MFss" BE UNSCRAMBLED.

WASHINGTON, D. C.-In official
.ircIes the impression prevails that
.ooner or later the government will
toka over the express companies and
Operate them during the war. In one
oircIe this meets with genuine APP
rroval while the other element is
bitterly opposed to the step being
taken.
Is the requirement of the express
companies naturally to follow the
tba requirement of the transporta-
ton lines? Just how dependent upon
the express companies is the govern
ment's war activities? Are the ex-
nress companies suffering the losses
thew report? How far is the request
for government operation of these
companies prompted by the willing
ness of congress to vote vast sums for
railroad operation? These are some
of the questions being propounded
I'D on Capitol Hill.
When the government was urged
to enter upon the parcel post system
&c an adjunct of the postoffice SER
vice the leader of the movement,
Representative David j. Lewis, now
member of the tariff board, predict
ed that the Inauguration of the par
eel post would spell the end of the
express companies. Now, members
of congress are asking, 'If we DELHI
erately set about to put the express
companies out of business through
the activities of the postal SERVICE,
whv should we now be asked to vote
millions to perpetuate the very thing
we were told would be put out of
business?"
Where VIII 1t End?
If the express companies are taken
over as an integral part of the coun-
trys transportation system what will
be the basis upon which congress will
act? So far, all the case made out by
the express companies is that they
are losing money at rapid rate and
must have help or go out of business.
in my opinion" said a prominent
member Of the house, "this thing of
government ownership is fast run
ming to seed. How and where we will
be able to call halt, / cannot say,
but certainly the time has come when
We must give this subject more Sc
rious consideration that we have con-
corning the railroads.
If we take over the express COM
panies what excuse will we have for
not taking over the telephone and
telegraph lines? And after we have
added express companies and the
wire companies to the railroad oper-
alton how are we going to unscham-
Bile all of this mess within a year or
so after the war ends?
Task to Unscramble.
1T seems to me that it will resolve
itself into the task of attempting to
unscramble eggs. Look at the rail-
roads; there will be all the equip
ment and betterments which the gov
eminent will buy and create during
us period Of operation, to say moth
ing OF the securities which will be in
VOWED, To my mind the task will be
SO complicated and involved that con-
gTess will find it impossible to say
what shall be the basis of the com
pensatIon and trade in order to get
Vhe property back into private hands
ana the upshot will be complete gov
etIlihent ownership for all time to
come. The railroad bill Just passed
50 tangles up private and public in
sestment in the railway lines that the
nhal dissolution of federal operation
seems to me almost hopeless. If the
carriers could not make enough mon
ey TO keep going during the traffic
rush incident to the war how will
atney pile up enough money during
.ls period of government operation
" pc IN a position to pay for the
eqIliPment bought by the government
ana ana be able to take it over for them
II these obstacles regarding the
surrender Of government operation
VI the railroads are bothering the
ff a OF congress who are not in
aa.of OF government ownership one
VA. o easily imagine their CONSERVATION
uyef the proposal that the govern
nu now take the express companies
Under its wing.