Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-07
WHY MAKE UNCLE SAM THE
GOAT?


THE shoulders of Uncle Sam are broad
and his digestion is magnificent, but
we assumed that the day had passed long
ago when Hercules was expected to hold
the world on his shoulders We view with
some alarm the hysterical calls from every
quarter of the country for the United
States to step in and seize this or that
Industry. II there is a local sore anywhere
Uncle Sam is expected TO produce poul.
tice. He has his hands full attending to
his own business Just now without being
required to act the part of hero in the
oneact farce entitled Let George Do It."
It is reported that commercial interests
In ST. Louis are calling loudly on Mr..
NcAdoo to seize the local trolley system
and operate it. There is an insistent
clamor in Philadelphia also for Secretary
Daniels to perform some wonder OF al
chemy and seize or cause to be seized the
lines Of the p. Il. r. 1t is not Secretary
Daniels's business to operate trolley lines.
The most. he could do would be to urge
Mr.. McAdoo to act. But Mr.. McAdoo Is
already an Argus with his eyes in the tail
Of peacock. "McAdoo about everything"
may furnish a superb example of the
capacity Of the human being when driven
to cover, but to load more responsibility
on him and burden him with the operation
Of trolley lines might break the camei's
back. No, It would not be fair. The man
IL entitled to a chance and the nation
should let him have it.
( We confess that we are somewhat nau-
seated by the spectacle of inefiiciency ex-
hiblted in these days by some corporations
whose operations are vital to the success
of the war. 1t may not be humiliating to
the management of the P. r. T. that the
to impede the war preparations Of the
nation, but it is distinctly humiliating to
Philadelphia, where the thunderbolts of de.
uocracy are forged, to have one Of its
leading utilities so inefficiently handled
that men sincerely laboring for the nation
feel justified in calling on the Government
for relief. We have no patience with the
sort of patriotism that falls down on the
Job. We wonder how any persons conduct
ing business vital to the nation at this
critical period can fail to deliver and re.
gard the failure as a mere casual occur.
renee. Shame on such people, we say. for
they pile the load on Uncle Sam and en-.
feeble him in the heat Of the struggle.
The p. r. T. has been warned for months
- it counted its cash each night that
huge new population was moving into the
district and that its equipment would be
taxed to the uttermost. It had ample
warning that war was inevitable. There
ere other companies operating trolleys
which read the signs and ordered material
for months and months in advance. They
ordered it. too. from a number of bases
IN order that the failure Of one source OF
supply should not be fatal To DO caught
as the p. r. T. was, is a con-
fession Of inexcusable improvidence. 1t in.
dicates, too, laxity in municipal control
that must be rectifed. II the p. r. T. can
not be efficient voluntarily it must be made
efHcient by force.
1t is true that the Government has been
seriously considering radical action in tran.
III affairs. both here and elsewhere Wash
ington Is particularly irritated over the
miserable service furnished the Frankford
Arsenal and munition plants in other sec.
Mons. The Philadelphia situation was
under consideration long before public
oomplaint became general. 1t is stin
Qndsr consideration although we have
reason to believe that it has already been
decided that there will be either quick
relief or prompt and radical action. There
= not going to be much more quibbling.
We repeat. however, that it is an out.
roGe that Washington must give its atten.
1ten to affairs Of this sort. We again
111p on the local company that 1t voiun-
11iy so the limit In rectifying existing
~ and relieve the Government of the
rvtty or excuse for taking possession
~ local iinea