davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06

or save money by reducing the operating
expenses? In fact, this particular writer
is as well stocked with questions as was
Sancho Panza with adages and "wise
saws" Here are some more:
In the matter of operation, how far will
inc government go to stop duplication and
waste! Will it pool rolling stock and motive
power ana distribute cars and engines re-
Rardless or the roads to which they used to
peiong1 VIII it consolidate terminals and
make shops and round-houses and wards in
terchangeable? Will it route traffic by short
est hnes and cease operating two or three
Drloges or two or three roads where one will
oo! is rivalry in service to end and compe-
tltion in speed to stop? Will it be cash and
carry for shippers, and, if so will the ship
pers get the benefit Of the saving?
FINALLY, how long will government opcra-
ton continue? Is this to be temporary
eXpedlcnt for the duration Of the war only,
or is IT an experiment to lay the foundation
for permanent public ownership? Does the
taking over of the railroads indicate a set
tied conviction that the war is, so far as we
are concerned, only begun? Does govern
ment operation of the railroads stand bv
Itself? Or is it only starter for the GOV.
ernment taking over other industries and
activities vital to the national defence and
the successful prosecution Of the war;"
Opinion divides as to the ethics involved
in government ownership. The New York
Tribune declared editorially that the pol
icy of government control is right "The
government should have absolute control
OF the railroads during the war. But it
should not attempt to run them. Lincoln
knew this. He put the operation of the
railroads in the hands Of operating men
and positively forbade any interference,
The order of an operating man could not
be changed by commanding general"
"Government ownership is not involved"
says "The Philadelphia Inquirer" "It is
government management that is created.
1t is the plan virtually adopted by Eng
land, where the government took posses
sion of the roads and has managed them,
guaranteeing dividends"
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06
ring the Track for the Great Democracy Limited

World" which further writes: "Thcro has
passed under the absolute direction of the
government of the United States
railroad properties having over 100000
miles OF main track, capitalized at ST.
5o0,0o0,00O and with 100000 officers and
employees. These immense concerns have
hitherto been operated by or through $500
independent corporations; they will now
tor tho period Of the war be operated un-
der single director general as one cor.
poration.'
The selection of Mr.. McAdoo as the di~
rector general meets with general ap-
proval. "The New York Sun" thinks he
has enough responsibility as Secretary of
the Treasury, which requires "ten mems
brains, ten mems nerve energy and physi-
cal endufance,' without adding newer re-
sponsibilities; but "The Washington Post"
declares:
"No one except William G. McAdoo could
have been safely chosen to undertake the
stupendous work The financial
questions involved are closely related to the
finances of the government, and thus fall
III d Heiu WHcIClu MCAuOO Is CQually the first
among his countrymcn. His skill and
constructive force arc unique in the
history of tho Treasury-at any rate
since tamiton's time. American industry
and finance will accept with perfect conf
dencc the announcement that he is to super
wise the finances Of the railroads. AS for
the practical problem Of railroad direction
Mr. McAdoo is fortified by the experience
gained before his service as Secretary Of the
Treasury and by the broader experience OBJ
tanned while sitting at the Cabinet table
considering national problems"
Among the questions raised is that Of
the possibility of the government passing
from control to permanent ownership.
Opinion is divided on this. Some believe
that 1t is merely war measure and
others declare that never will the coun-
try return to private control, but that
eventually the government will own the
railroads out and out. This question, in
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06
THE Safety Of the Republic Is
/ the Supreme Law

Senator Hall came to the defence of the
bill. He declared:
"1 am not going to stand here and try this
case by pleas in abatement and pettifogging
objections. l am ready to rest my action on
the broad principle of that old maxim of
the Roman Empire, which declared that the
safety of the republic was the supreme law.
Sir, believe that the safety of the
republic requires to-day energetic, earnest
ana etlclent measures. You ought
to arm the government with power to punish
any aggressions upon it anywhere and every
where, whether It is within the seat Of war
or in any other place under heaven"
The War Department exercised it's right
two years later when it seized the Cam
den e. Amboy Railroad, which monopolized
the right of way across New Jersey be-
tween Philadelphia and New York, to carry
troops. The officials of the line enioined
the Rartan & Delaware Bay road against
transporting troops through New Jersey,
and obtained an order from the highest
court in New Jersey compelling the rival
line to turn over money received from the
Quartermaster's Department.
A bill was introduced into the House in
1864 to declare the rival to the camden
monopoly lawful structure and a post
and military road so that it could compete
with its rival. The bill finally passed, but
only after long debate in Congress. in
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06
Scanning the Wit of the Day

Bill: "I've just lost one of my best
friends"
Jill: Indeed! How much did you sue
cced in borrowing from him ?"-Yonkers
Statesman.
"Pa, were you rich when mamma mar
ried you" "No, my deaf.' "Well, papa,
what was it, then, do you think, that
mamma married you r?"-Detroit FREQ
Press.
1nquiring Subscriber to Editor-Don't
see anything by your funny paragraphist
lately. Amt mad is heo
No, he isn't mad. Only out of hunor.
Magazine.
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06

Railroad had been destroyed and troops of
the 9th Massachusetts had been attacked
IN the streets of Baltimore while on their
way to tho front. He wrote of the "pro-
prlety OF an appropriation to be made by
Congress, to be applied, when the public
exigcncies demand, to the reconstruction
and equipment of railroads, and for the
expense Of maintenance and operating
them" He urged, on the grounds of mill
tary cXpediency, the construction of a rail
road between loyal sections of Tennessee
and Western North Carolina and Ken
lucky.
Senator Wade, Of Ohio, who introduced
the measure in Congress, is quoted in "'Thc
Congressional Globe" as follows
"Mr. President l will briefly state
that this bill is contemplated merely as a
war measure. OF course, it will not disturb
any road the owners Of which are willing to
let come into the Of the government
I suppose that under the war power
the Executive might do that without any law
but it IS much better that it should be done
by authority OF law than by what may be
considered by usurpation; and there
fore, although this bill is very sweeping, and
subjects all railroad lines to it's operation, it
must still be perfectly evident that very few
lines will be taken possession Of by the gov
eminent for the purpose of war. There are
probably few railroads in the loyal states
where this would be refused. The
fact is that the bill is really more radical in
its terms than it will ever be in opcration.'
Senator Pearce, one of the opponents of
the bill, said
"You take these pure civilians, the whole
business Of whose lives is railroad trans
portation for passengers and freight, and
make them subjects Of military law. | think |
you have 10 more power to do it, sir than !
you have to pluck bright honor from the
pale faced NOON If the bill can be amended
SO as TO apply within the limits of three
seeded stales, l have no sort of objection
to it, but if it is not, would as soon have
my head cut off vote for it."
Senator Davis agreed with Senator
Pcarce, but he declared that it was his in
vote against the bill.
"T want the bill passed, as far as, in nv
Judgment it does not conflict with the Con-
st.tution. Mr. President, If there is any
idol on earth that have worshipped it has
been the Union Of these states. I have III
my imagination faucied this nation subsist
lIS lOI a ttouScilu ycNio, C>eSAiuIHS tiiiOuEH
the centuries that numbered the history of
Carthage, of Rome and the modern king
doms Of France and England No, |
Mr. President, |, in my Imagination, lying
upon my own pillow, have indulged in the
visions Of the future, and have pursued this
Imperial republic to q point Of development
in its fiscal resources, in national power, in
everything that can make empire great
and glorious and grand"
The next speaker, Senator Wilson, spoke
as follows:
"What is the whole object of the bill?
. 1t is to concentrate our forces, to !
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06

show. Finally, satisfied that none except
Cannon was about, he approached the
bars.
Glow be you?" he asked the ape.
No answer. The negro looked around
again to make certain that he was not
observed by strange eyes.
"How is it," he asked again
Still no answer; and third time he
spoke to the ape without receiving a
reply. Then he burst out:
Oats right! Dom you say single
word. If you does, dey'll have you out
of dat nice straw an a hoe in youh hands
in minute. .'-Cartoons Ma1axine.
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06

which the question of states rights and the
obligation of a contract were advancedBas
arguments by the friends of the MONOPOLY.
One of the clauses in the bill provided
that "every railroad company in the
United States is hereby author
lzed to carry over its roads, connections.
boats, bridges and ferries all freight. prop
erty, mails, passengers, troops and gov
ernment supplies, and to receive compen-
sation therefor"
The New York Tribune, on March %.
1864, said editorially:
ut is plainly the cue Of the champions in
Congress Of the Camden monopoly to talk to
oeath the resolve of the military committee
III favor CT permitting the people of other
states to get through New Jersey more adj
vantageousiy and cheaply than the monopoly
will carry them. The short method
with all that is to so amend the resolve that
1t may affirm and uphold generally the
right to cross not only New Jersey but every
state by the cheapest and most inviting con-
veyances that offer"
AS for the difficulties of railroad travel
in the Civil War days, one finds, by turn
ing to "Harper's Weekly" for December
8, 1864, that
"The whole system Of railroad travel frs
this country is disgraceful, and we propose,
IN this and subsequent articles, to show In
what ways it might tie improved
Ross Browne somewhere says that when he
was ore of nine guests slowed in one bed
together in a Western inn the landlord
brought the tenth, and when Browne himself
pleaded that they were tolerably full he was
sternly denounced rs naughty and un-
n1 III I.
host is the model president or superintendent
of grand central railroad. offering every
inducement for enlightened travellers to
prefer it to all other tedious, dangerous and
connection missing routes. The gen,
cral railway massacre that is taking place
in the country is certainly the business of
somebody; and of whom can it be so much
the interest as the public themselves IN
This editorial was written twenty-three
years before the Interstate Commerce
Commission was created
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06

The safer the economic conditions Of Tho
nation the higher the stocks 90 and the
firmer they hold. This response to tho
action Of President Wilson may be taken
as the countrys Endorsement Of it." But
just here, turning again to "The New
York Call" one comes upon cry Of warn
ing. "The CALI cautions it's readers not
to believe Wall Street infalible in money
matters-not to look upon its brokers as
"supermen." Indeed
These people are gamblers, and very
little more, and the gambler must be a
buffer. Whatever he may think he must
put up 'front.' and he does it instinctively.
as a rule, and certainly not through any
positive economic or sociological knowledge.
Like all gamblers, the bulk of these people
i've a handto-mouth existence. With most
of them sufficient to the day is the evil
thereof And most of them see no evil in
state control of railroads any more than
they ever saw any good in it. But the guar
antees Of the government-and they are
strictly conditional and dependent on future
contingencies as yet unknown-seem to
them an immediate security, and they are no
doubt on the whole right in the assumption
There will be dividends-guaranteed by the
state, the strongest guarantee they could
have-and that suffices for the moment. The
gambler always looks to the immediate
future, never the distant future; that he is
willing to let take care Of itself and he will
somehow meet whatever it may bring forth"
This being one Of those interesting di-
gressions which revolutionary strokes,
such as the taking over Of the railroads,
always invite. Another bit of generaliza-
ton is found in the editorial columns Of
"The Knickerbocker Press" where it is
averred that strikes are a thing of the
past. Or, in the same connection, take
"The Savannah News" which declares
that "the railroad man will more
closely resemble the soldier. His orders
will proceed from the government. There
will be, as there should be, no more
talk Of strikes. He should no more think
OF striking than the postal clerk or mail
clerk or government department e,nploye."
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06
yNCLE SAM has taken over the
railroads. What in peace times

UNCLE SAM has taken over the
railroads What in peace times
~ would certainly be regarded as an
.ct Of gigantic usurpation In time Of war
becomes merely one of the necessary, even
commonplace, measures of adjustments
ne transfer from private to national con-
trol was made very quietly and, though
rss,,v quito suddenly. The country Just
woke UP one morning to find that ''it had
come" Then the country went on as usual.
Perhaps it breathed sigh Of relief.
Numerous sighs of this nature are report
I'd on the part of the railroads themselves.
Newspapers in commenting on the Pres
dents seizure of the railroads term the
action "thc logical STEP" "thc inevitable"
"the expected "There is to be no up
leayal," declares Tho Philadelphia In
ouirer" in an editorial which may, per-
haps be looked upon as representative of
the opinion of the majority. "Thc roads
will continue under their present man
arements. Experiments will not be neces-
sarv. Director General McAdoo will have
his war board Of railway officials and work
through them" And further:
I. "Their hands will be free to organize all
roads as part of single gigantic enterprise
What is best for the country at large will be
sought regardless of the receipts of indi-
vidual roads. For each road will be guaran-
iced net income equal to the average net
income of the last three years. The stock
holders are thereby amply protected. Un-
ouestonably the plan is the best that could
he devised. The announcement Of it has had
stimulating effect. . Uncertainty
has given way to certainty What
this will lead to after the war is hardly
worth while speculating about now. 1t is
war measure, pure and simple, and must be
regarded as SUCH
A Great Big Business Deal. With
"A Figures in the Billions
"a new era in railroad control" has be-
gun, in the opinion of "The New York
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06

"The New York World" agrees with
the editor Of The Tribune and the editor
of "rhe Inquirer" 'The question is asked
If this does not portend inevitable govern
ment ownership after the war; The an
swer is that it does not But successful
management of this great experiment can
mean an end of so much Independent and
divergent operation of the country's rail-
road mileage and it's terminals in d great
city"
The Providence Journal" thinks at is
imperatively necessary that there be no
limit short Of the absolute control which
only the government can assume and ex-
erclse. This is not government
ownership"
But "The Nashville Tennesseean," "The
Boston Transcript" "The Louisville Cou-
rier-Journal," "The Columbus Dispatch"
"The Christian Science Monitor" and "The
Baltimore Sum-" in varying degree, argue
against government ownership. The latter
SAID: For the present, perhaps, it is suf-
ficlent to say that the success of govern
ment operation during a war like the pres
ent one will by no means prove that gov
ernment ownership would be desirable in
normal times. When the question of gov
ernment ownership becomes an issue in
our politics it will have to be fought out
on it's merits"
Likewise "The Chicago Tribune" re-
minds its readers that "there is a good
deal of loose talk about government opera
tion Of the railroads. Those who use the
term most glbly-as if the words them
selves were possessed Of kind of magic
to remedy all transportation evils-usual-
ly mean something like government own
ership. This ambiguity persists when they
cite precedents and examples"
"The Savannah News" goes 50 far to
say that "the governments experiences
during the remainder of the war as op-
orator of railroads of the country may
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06
Rats

lI>HE .1. raft has been used for GEN.
turies for carrying various car
goes" writes Day Allan Wiley
in est. Nicholas" at carried Egyptian
cotton on the Nile; it is in service on the
congo River IN Africa and the Ganges
IN India; but the raft which is its own
cargo is that composed of logs-a method
OF water transportation that originated in
Nova Scotia a half century ago.
Tree trunks cut from Nova Scotia for
ests were moved on wooden rollers to one
Of the harbors, where the logs were nil cd
IN layers and bound together with twisted
wire rope The raft was to be taken to n
lumber mill OH New York Harbor. where
the logs were to be cut into timber for
building purposes. TO haul The raft while
on the sea, one end Of a heavy wire rope
was fastened to its bow, the other was
secured to the rear deck of a steam tug
boat. 1t started on its ocean iournev. bu+
never reached it's destination. for gale
CT wind sprang up, the toying rope
parted, and the raft drifted cut to sea.
Later, some of the logs were found washed
ashore on the Norwegian coast
In the Northwest the trans portation Of
lumber in RATS is very extensive. Thew
are OF enormous dimensions, in shape
closely resembling a cigar, having It's
greatest diameter at the middle and taper
ing to point at both ends While these
RATS are of varying sizes, the smallest
usually contains at least five thousand
pieces Of timber, ranging from so to 40
feet in length and from two feet to nearly
tive feet IN diameter at the butt
consequently, some of the RATS made
in this peculiar fashion are nearly as long
as the largest transatlantic liners, meas.
nr1ng no less than $50 feet from end Ia
end"
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06
s<\V1 1ithin the Twinkling of an Eye
w the Thing Has Come Abou

"The Detroit News" takes another posi-
ton. 1t points out that the great "funda-
mental policies which men have fought for
and against, have feared and dreaded
through generations" are now here within
the twinkling Of an eye." The editor fur
ther declares: "Of course, the taking over
Of the railroads is declared by the Admin
istration to be but war measure. So
was President Lincoln's abolition of slav-
cry. The permanent effects of the move>
ment will depend entirely upon the Sue
cess which the government achieves in its
large venture"
"The New York Globe" is Of the opin-
ion that "the railroads will never be re-
turned to private ownership. A great
change has been effected and Will be for
all time"
Concerning the vital question of finance
"The Charleston IN. CO. Observer" no.
ticed that the "stock market took an i'm
mediate and material advance The stock
market is the country's trade barometer
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06

nation it the government wants them for the
transportation of troops and munitions of
war; to take the cars, the rolling stock and
the hands employed, to employ them for the
government instead of for the corporation
That is all we ask
when you come to a railroad corporation
there seems to be something very sacred
about 1t. SIR, sec no more reason why we
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06

them, You shall now continue your business
for the government instead Of for the COM
pany; conduct troops safely and with the
greatest expedition to the point where we
want to use Them | would use every
power that God Almighty and the Constitu-
ton have put in our hands to suppress it
(thc rebellon) and of our undoubted
powers is to seize all the railroads in this
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06

move large masses of men without the knowl-
edge or consent Of anybody, without nego-
tiating with railway directors as to how many
men arc to be moved, where they arc to
be moved"
Senator Wade declared:
ut is no great hardship to those who have
managed and conducted a railroad to say to
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06
Questions, More Questions! The
~ Case Is Full Of Them

The editor continues the intcrrogative
by asking what effect the order will have
on the labor situation, whether strikes will
end, whether roads will bid for the SER
vice of efficient men and what choice and
latitude the railroad men will have in
choosing a road for which to work.
Concerning improvements he quizzes
further He asks if the government will
make extensions, build terminals and ad-
ditional lines, and, if so, will the new con-
struction be on the account Of the govern
ment, or as part Of the existing road, or
on account of several roads Joined to-
gether? Or will the government defer
the question of construction, doing only
immediate and unavoidable work and im>
provements? Also, whether the govern
ment with unlimited money will invest it
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06

should forbear exercising this same power
IN the case of railroad than in the case
o+ a private individual who happens to have
team upon the road, and this is done every
day. We want the men; we want those who
are best qualified to run your road; and we
want them now, and we want to say to them,
Continue your business for the government
| want the right whenever 100, 600
men are thought necessary to be concentrate
ed at a certain point, and there are railroads
with equipment sufficient for their trans
portation, to take that stock and press the
employees Of those roads into the service of
the government to GARY out this great de-
sign. 1t is not hardship on them unless
they are violent traitors at heart"
Senator Browning called the measure an
''extreme and tyrannous war power" He
thought to impress the train1nen against
their will would prove disastrous.
"The gentleman said he would shoot them.
Yes sir, but before he shoots them these
unwilling men that he has compelled into
the service of the government-rairoad
employees, if any such there be-will run
hundreds of trains off the road to kill and
mangle thousands upon thousands of our
soldiers. Force unwilling men as en-
ployes into the service of the government
as railroad managers and there will be
disaster enough in one week to more than
counterbalance all the benefits that we
can derive from the passage of the gentle
mans bill"
New-York tribune., 1918-01-06

larger sense, is discussed by George Har
vey elsewhere in this issue of The Review.
Finances, labor problems and traffic re-
lief as the result Of pooling and unifica-
tlon of management are other important
questions which the editors arc attempt-
ing to answer.
1.-The Omaha Bee" looks on the situation
as one in which Questions are easilv asked
but not readily answered." Among the
list of questions to which "The Bee" would
like reply are these:
How will government control and opera
tion AFFECT tho investor? Will the proposed
guarantee Of returns on basis Of three
years average standardize all railroad stocks
and securities and put them on the same
market level? Will it make any difference
to the holder by which road his certificate
IS issued if it is undcrwritten by Uncle
Sam? Which roads will have pri-
orlty for their demands, or, rather, how will
the priority be determined? What about
the vast volume of railroad litigation? Is it
fair to infer that all the lawsuits as between
the railroads and the public will be held in
abeyance?"