Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-12-18
McADOO URGES EXuH:% SION
or Period for Government Operation
of Railroads.

Washington, Dec. l--EXtcnsion
of the period OF government control
Of railroads for five years-until
January /, l92i---was recommend
ed to Congress tonight by Director
General McAdO0. Advantages OF
this, MIR McI\do0 said, are that it
would take the railroad question out
OF politics for the present, give time
for carrying ont an extensive pro-
gram Of improvements, and provide
opportunity for Il fair test OF unified
control to indicate the permanent
solution OF the railroad problem
"Thc President has given me per-
mission to say that this conclusion
aecords with his own view Of the
matter" Mr. McAdoo concluded.
The letter was addressed to Sena-
tor Smith, of South Carolina, and
Representative Sims. chairmcn re-
spcctivcly of the Senate and House
interstate commerce committees.
More Time Needed.
Mr. McAdoo explained that to con-
Time government operation for -
months after formal declaration Of
peace. under present conditions,
would mean disruption Of morale
among employees and officers, and
could not enable the government to
70 ahead with Improvements and
purchase OF equipment Another
alternative, the prompt return Of
the railroads to private control,
without legislation to permit climi
ration Of tho old wasteful competi-
ton, would be "hurtful alike to the
public interests and to the railroads
themselves" he said, and the diff
lation providing a permanent solu-
ton, is apparent.
Only Wise Alternative.
'Thcre is one, and to my mind on
ly one. practicable and wies alter
native" Mr.. MtAdoo continued,
"and that Is to extend the period Of
federal control from the one year
and nine months provided by the
present law to five years, or until
the first OF January, 1924. This cX-
tension would take the railroad
question out of politics for a reason
able period. 1t would give compo-
sure to railroad officers and en-
rloyees IT would admit oe the
nrcpar0tioo and carrying on' of a
comprehensive program OF improve.
mouts OF thc railroads aud thriT
&o1muni ,nnilItlaa wh.oh would NJ
ucnaely in,rruac tho efficiency ot
the transportation machine tt
would put back of the railroads the
credit Of the United States during
tho five-year period so that the
financing Of these improvements
could be successfully carried out.
1t would offer the necessary oppor-
tunity under proper conditions to
test the value Of the unified con-
trol, and the experience thus gained
would OF itself indicate the perma-
mont solution OF the railroad prob
lem.
Have Right to Test 1t.
THE American people have a
right to have this test. They should
not be denied 1t. 1t is to their inte-
rest that it should be done. In my
opinion, it is the only practicable
and reasonable method Of determn-
ing the right solution OF this grave
economic problem.
81 am not now, and have not been
for the past year. interested in
proving or disproving the theory Of
government ownership or any other
kind Of theory. The railroads have
been operated for the past year with
tho purpose ef serving efficiently the
paramount needs OF the war, and at
tho same time furnishing the best
possible service to the public,
prove or to disprove any theory OF
railroad control, no matter what It
might be. l have formed no opinion
myself as what is the best disposi-
ton Of the railroad problem, because
the test has not been sufficient to
prove conclusivcly the right solution
OF it. | believe that a five-ycar test
will give the American people the
right answer. An ounce Of export
cncc is worth a ton OF theory
tALO!lEI. SALINATES
AND MAKES YOU SACK.