The Washington herald., 1918-12-12

we consume that markets must be
found for that surplus. Those mar
kets are the competitive markets OF
the world. We must be able to enter
them upon equal terms with any other
nation Our transportation system.
both on land and water. must. there
fore. function at the highest point of
efficiency and at the lowest possible
cost. IL we are to get our reasonable
and fair share of the worlds trade
porous. contented and happy pOpuIa-
ton at home.
Might Court Failure.
ITO attempt TO continue Federal
control under the inadequate provi-
sions Of the present Federal control
act and for the very brief period Il
authorizes, would be 10 multiply oui
difficulties and invite failure on the
other hand, ! am convinced from the
experience OF the past year that the
return Of the railroads to the old COM
petitive conditions will be hurtful alike
TO the public interest and to the rail-
roads themselves. This course. how
ever, viii bring fewer evils in its traIa
than the unsatisfactory. IL not impo-
tent Federal control provided for by
the present act The railroads were
taken over as a war measure They
have been operated during the past
year for the paramount purpose OF
winning the war. I think il will be
generally admitted that the war serv-
Ice has been successfully rendered
and / am sure that experience Of
great value and benefit has been gain
ed not only for the public. but for IN.
railroads themselves during this brier
test.
There is one. and to my mind only
one. practicable and wise alternative.
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 e1tcn-
sion would take the railroad question
out of politics for a reasonable period.
II would give ComposuTc to railroad
officers and employees. II would admit
OF the preparation and carrying out
OF a comprehensive program OF i'm
provements OF the railroads and their
terminal facilities which would i'm
mensely increase the efficiency Of the
transportation machine. II would put
hack OF the railroads the credit Of the
UQited States duIing the hve-year pc
riod so that the financing Of these i'm
provements could be successfully cal .
Iied out. II would offer the necessary
opportunity under proper conditions
TO test the value Of unified control,
and the experience thus gained would
Of itself indicate the permanent solu-
tiCn OF the railroad problem
The American people have a right
to this test. They should not be de
MED it, II is to their interest that IL
should be done. In my opinion, IL is
the only practicable and reasonable
method OF determining the right solu-
tiOn OF this grave economic problem.
ct Interested in Theories.
q am not now and have not been
for the past year interested in prov
ing or disproving the theory OF gov
ernment ownership or any Other
kind Of theory The railroads have
been operated for the past year with
the purpose Of serving efficiently tn,
paramount needs OF the war and al
the same time furnishing the best
possible service to the public
whether such operation tended tC
prove or to disprOve any theory OF
railroad control no matter what q
might be. have formed no opinion
myself as to what is the best dis
position OF the railroad problem be,
cause the test has not been suffiCien
to prove concIusively the right solU.
tion of the problem. ] believe tha'
five year test will give the Amcri'
can people the right answer. AT
ounce OF experience is worth a tor
Of theory and with the START already
made under war conditions. Il wouIt
be a comparatively simple matter tC
complete the test so well begun and
thereby gain the invaluable expert.
ence which will determine the solU.
tion of a problem which has vexeC
our State and National politics anc
our economic development for tn,
past generation.
There are those who may SAL
that an extension Of five years 70
such a test will mean government
ownership. Personally do not be
( lieve it. But whether such a ties
would indicate that the ultimate so
luton shall be government owner
ship or a modified form OF privat,
ownership under effective Fedora
regulation, should not cause US t,
hesitate or refuse 10 act. II seem
TO me that in a democracy like ours
where public opinion and the judE,
ment Of the majority must fnall!
control. the plain duty is to TAX,
those steps which viii fully inform
! public opinion. SO that the judgmen
may be based upon knowledge rathe
, than upon theory. Any test whicl