Arizona republican., 1918-12-12

The president has given me per-
mission to say that this conclusion ac-
cords with his own view of the mat
ter" Mr.. McAdoo said in concluding,
letter addressed to Senator Smith of
South Carolina, and Representative
Sims, chairmen, respectively, of the
senate and house interstate commerce
committees.
Mr.. McAdoo explained that to con-
tinue government operation for II
months after formal declaration OF
peace, under present conditions would
mean disruption of morale among en-
ployes and officers, and could not en-
able the government to go ahead with
improvements and purchase of equip
ment. Another alternative, the prompt
return of the railroads to private con-
troll, without legislation to permit elm
ination of the old wasteful competi-
ton, would be "hurtful alike to the
pubic interest and to the railroads
| themselves, he said, and the difficult,
of obtaining immediate legislation,
providing a permanent solution, is ap-
parent.
Take Roads Out of Politics
There is one, and to my mind onl.y :
one, practical and wise alternative, :"
Mr.. McAdoo 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 day of January
1924. This extension would take the
railroad question out of politics for a
reasonable period. 1t would give COM
posure to railroad officers and en-
| ployes. 1t would ADMIT of the prepara-
| ton and carrying out OF a comprehen-
sive program of improvements of the
| railroads and their terminal facilities,
which would Immensely increase the
efficiency of the transportation ma
chine. 1t would put back of the rail
roads the credit of the United States,
during the five years period, SO that
the financing of these improvements
could be successfully carried out. Il
would offer the necessary opportunity,
under proper conditions, to. test the
value of unified control, and the ex-
perience thus gained would of itself
indicate the permanent solution of the
railroad problem.
The American people have right
to this test. They should not be de-
MED it. 1t is to their interest that it
should be done. In my opinion, it is
the only practicable and reasonable
method of determining the right SO
luton of this grave economic problem.
Has No Theory Of Own
'I am not now and have not been
for the past year interested in proving
or disproving the theory of govern
ment ownership, or any other kind OF
theory. The railroads have been op-
Grated for the past year with the pur-
pose of serving efficiently the para
mount needs of the war, and at the
same time furnishing the best possible
service to the public, whether such
operation tended to prove or disprove
any theory of railroad control, no mat
ter what it might be. l have formed
no opinion myself as to what is the
best disposition Of the railroad problem
because the test has not been Suffic-
lent to prove conclusively the right
solution of the problem. l believe thai
a five-year test will give the American r
people the right answer. An ounce ol
experience is worth a ton of theory.
There are those who may say thai
an extension of five years for such &
test will mean government ownership
Personally, l do not believe it. Bu
whether such a test would indicate tha
the ultimate solution shall be govern
ment ownership or a modified form o
service ownership, under effective fed
eral regulation, should not cause us L
hesitate or refuse to act
If congress does not extend the timt
for government control, said Mr.. Nc
Adoo, the railroads should be returned
to private management, "at the earli-
est possible moment
Practical difficulties of continuing
government operation under existing
} authority, he pointed out, are th'
growing conflicts of authority betwee1
state and federal jurisdiction, made
quacy of the half billion dollar re
, volving fund for financing improve
ments, inability to force railroads t.
} pay for cars and locomotives withou
litigation, and to require terminal i'm
provements.
Letter to Congress