Evening star., 1918-01-05
HOLD ISSUE IS OUT
OF PARTY POLITICS
Government Ownership of
Railroads a Bipartisan
Problem, Leaders Assert.
FUTURE.Is UP TO CONGRESS

The opinion is held at the Capitol
| that the question of government owner
ship of railroads is now taken out of
party politics and becomes problem Of
national policy to be solved through BIZ
partisan etion Aorsossr. and. still
nearer to the point, responsibility for
its anal soiutisn Il placed squarefy upon
Congress, impossible Of evasion.
President Wilson. In approving the
form OF tho bill now pending to effectu-
ate taking over the railroads by the
government, saddled the responsibility
upon Congress- it is said at the Capitol.
The wording of the bill is that the pres
ent direction of the railroads by the
| government shall continue "for and
| during the period Of the war and until
Congress shall thereafter order other
wise"
/ Up to Congress in the Future.
No other construction is possible, it
| is held, than that government direction
and practically government ownership
| shan continue. war or no war. until
Congress in it's wisdom shall provide
| to the contrary. The President is not
going to restore tho roads to their
owners after the emergency under
which he took them over has ended
| So, that under the bill ds now word-
ed. when the end of the war approaches,
Congress will face the necessity of de-
cision. If no action Is taken. govern
ment ownership tacitly becomes con-
tinual as it is now effective 1t was re-
quire legislative decree to return the
| roads to their owners, the stock and
bond holders, and to displace the di-
| rector general Of railway administra-
| ton from his place of power
| The power to take over the railroads
was vested in the President by action
which was bipartisan; thatlfs to say,
with the votes of republicans and
democrats. of progressive and regu-
lars. of reactfonaries and radicals. 1t
fmay be argued that it was the intent
| of Congress to give the power to the
President only for the emergency of
| the war.
But the President has declined to
take it on that condition. and with his
approval bill has been drawn by his
administrative assistants Which con-
tinues. as stated, the governmental di-
the bill as drawn. it will emphasize its
| assumption of responsibility for the
| future. II the bill is amended SO as
to limit government dictatorship to the
: to their owners. but it devolves upon
Congress to provide for this con-
tingency.
Government Ownership on Trial.
Before the war ends the feasibility
| of government ownership will have
been given actual trial. 1t will be a
condition and not a theory which will
confront Congress and the nation. A
great problem of economic national
policy will have been worked out to
some kind Of a demonstration 1t will
| be for the peoples representatives to
continue or abolish it.
| But there will be no party brand
upon the plan by that time, it is ar
gued. II it has been proven a success
both political parties will want to rec
ommend 1t. II It has turned out a
failure no party will want to father it.
1t is, contended at the Capitol that men
Of all parties united to put it on trial
and that it cannot be counted in the
purely political assets of any party.
| Some individuals, it Is true. may
claim that they saw it frst." But
see it at the time. though they subse-
Quently voted to give 1t trial in an
emergency. Politicians figure that even
William j. Bryan will be precluded
from capitalizing the idea. unquestionabiy
| at one time adopted by him as a pro-
posed party slogan; precluded by this
very bipartisan action which put it
| into effect.
Tho belief. widely held at the Capi-
toi. that for these reasons future con-
sideration Of the policy OF government
ownership Of railways will be devoid
OF politics and that the question will be
taken up solely upon its value as
workable economic proposition for the
| good of all concerned.