The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1918-12-10

Sentiment Throughout the Nation Has CrystaLized Quickly for
Prompt Return of the Railroads to Private Management

TN COURSE Of an interview in the Herald yester.
day, A q. Wells. general manager Of the Santa
fc Coast lines. expressed the view that the rail
roads will be returned 10 their owners and 10
private operation practically without opposition.
He said, in effect, that he knew of no sentiment in
favor OF any other course. That view undoubtedly
expresses the sentiment of the vast majority Of the
American people today and It's existence indicates
the startling rapidity with which sentiment ia this
nation can crystalline, once it, attention is conferred
upon o nationa. issue.
As recently as three months ago The expression
was frequently heard that "the railroads will never
be restored to private ownership and management. -
That was the belief of a great many people. But
three months ago the war was still being fought
and popular attention was eentered upon the war.
The people were taking government operation as a
matter-of'course detail oil making war, Just is they
accepted restrictions upon their food supplies and
the manner in which their letters should be cen
sored and the speed. or the lack of il. with which
their personal kilograms should be delivered.
The conclusion of actual fighting and the turn
ing of the minds Of the people to the conduct Of
home affairs were almost coincidcnt. The latter fol
lowed within II few minutes after the uproar of the
peace celebrations had died down. 1t was then thai
the American people began to look into government
railroad operation.
We discovered that American shippers paid
92s mills per freight ton mile IN August. 1915.
against 7l9 in August, 1917. AN advance of around
30 per cent that in September. 1918. operating cX-
pcHS'N VI u TdilTOhuS dNSOfDeu ib.tD per cent Ca
operating revenues. against 6S.37 per cent for the
same month IN 1917 and that the American public
paid nearly $3.50. 000, 900 more for inferior 81. vice
during the nine months TO September 30, 1918, than
1t did during the same period in 1917.
These concrete results under government ops.
ration merely confirmed the firm conviction al
ready entertained by shippers that heavy increases
IN costs had accompanied marked decrease in effic.
iency IN the freight service of the nation during the
period OF government operation. As to the character
of the passenger service, and the charges therefor,
there has never been any, argument. The people
put up with the wartime passenger train condi-
tions because we were AT war and because EVERY
thing went as the government ordered, without
question, and generally without complaint. But that
was no sign that the American people proposed 10
continue any such conditions of passenger Servic.
permanently.
The problems of government ownership as they
were pointed out in the recent report of the Inter.
state Commerce Commission, and to which the
Herald recently made reference. form - huge, con.
crete argument against government ownership of
railroads IN this nation, and while the public has
not yet analysed all those problems, il senses their
magnitude and Is not disposed TO undertake at
this or any time in the near future, upon any such
program of experiment.
What the people of America want. ms is being
made more plain daily by the rapidly growing vol
nme OF expression, is a return of the railroads TO