The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-02-28

no matter how good the new may be
or how bad the old may be. It is diff
ticult for Congress to sever some of
the strongest ties which bind to the
past. Not many members of Con-
gress now delude themselves into be-
lieving that the great railroad trans
portation 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 priv
ilege for those few men in control to
freely plumber the public, has passed
the point where it is any longer tol-
cradle to thoughtful or honest men of
the country. Government ownership
of railroads is not without it's prob
lens, it's difficulties and it's dangers.
With all that may be conjured up
against government ownership, it Of
fers better solution of the railroad
transportation problem of the country
for the future than may be expected
from further private ownership and
control for the profits of the few big
boys who operate the control machin-
cry. No matter in what form Con-
gress passes the Administration Rail-
road Bill, government ownership will
not be long delayed. It would be lit
tie short of crime against the public
for the federal government to finance
and to rehabilitate the railroads and
then turn them over again to the con-
troll of private individuals for private
profits.
Food Administrator Herbert C.
Hoover announced in the Washington
Post today that the full power and in
fiuence Of the Administration would be
used, if necessary, to prevent the en-
actment of any of the bills pending in
Congress to increase the price of
wheat for the crop of 1918. Mr.. Hoov-
er gives out the statement that the
agitation for 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 entire
ly. Under the proposed raises, he
contends enormous profits would 60 to
distributors who hold millions of BUSH
els of wheat and millions of barrels of
flour, and that farmers would get very
little of these profits. The wisdom
and justice of communicating for the
government at present prices all the
millions Of bushels of wheat and all
the millions Of barrels Of flour held by
distributors, seems difficult for Mr..
Hoover to understand. It would be an
easy matter for the Food Administra-
tor to prevent any large or unreason-
able profits on the part of middlemen,
if the Food Administration really set
about in earnest to do this. The Food
Administration has been altogether
too solicitous about protecting the
profits Of the miller and the distribu-
tor and too Indifferent as to whether
the price received by the farmer nets
him a profit or loss. The fact is,
Food Administrator Hoover does not
seem to be greatly concerned about
the farmer, as long as it appears to
him that the farmer will keep drudg-
ing away. The prices of the products
of other industries which the wheat
farmer must buy, continue to soar
skyward. There has been a great deal
of talk to the effect that these prices
ought to be controlled, but what is the
Food Administrator, or anybody else
for that matter In authority, doing to
correct the inequalities which are so
evident? NOTHING much but talking.
six to ten dollars a day is being paid
and approved by the government for
common laborers in industries less
necessary to the success of the war
than the industry Of wheat raising. l
have wondered whether Mr.. Hoover or
any other official of the Food Admin
istration could make a profit on rails
ing wheat at 1920 a bushel, even in
the richest wheat raising region Of the
United States, if he were obliged to
pay anything approaching the same
price per hour for labor that is being
paid by flour mills, railroads, steel
plants, or shipbuilding yards through
out the country.
Most gratifying is the good news
given out today by Secretary Of War
Baker, that General Squier, Chief Of
the Signal Corps, is now five months
ahead Of the program decided upon
last summer for the manufacture,
equipment and manning of American
aeroplanes for the campaign against
the enemy in Europe. It is especially
pleasing, coming at time when the
press dispatches carry reports to the