New-York tribune., 1918-06-23

charges, as well as maturities. The
machinery Of public service commits
sion procedure is cumbrous and slow.
and where after weeks of preparations
and hearings and Investigations, rate
increases are granted. yet other months
must elapse before those increased
rates are collected and reflected in in
creased earnings over a period long
enough to assure steady and certain
income, sufficient for financial credit.
In the meantime, earnings are made
quate, bonds and notes are maturing
and defaulting and public utility eff
cheney and the efficiency Of the in
dustries Of the country dependent upon
them, are deteriorating.
This Is q national emergency. The
government Is confronted by questions
Of national cost measured In national
efficiency. Will 1t cost the nation more
in efficiency in prosecuting the war to
provide the money needed to keep the
public utilities Of the country going,
tional industry through the bank
ruptcy Of public utility corporations
The country spends millions on bat
tleships and transports and airplanes
and projectiles and waresupplies, and
other millions to get those things
manufactured and delivered speedily.
Congress and the public are impatient
OF unexplained and perhaps necessary
delays in the manufacture of uniforms,
rifles, machine guns, airplanes, ships.
Can our officials, or Congress, or the
people, view with complacency the slow
ing down Of the processes of war prep
aration and prosecution through the
deterioration in efficiency Of industry,
due directly to the insolvency of public
utilities, which can and do save more
time than any other agency?
There is even now serious concern
among those responsible for rapid pro-
duction Of war materials because of
dangerous and increasing shortage in
the motive power for driving the
wheels Of factories, and shipyards, and
arsenals, and means are being sought
to increase the supply in the country
Of electric power for war industries.
1t is reported that Bernard NJ. Baruch,
chairman Of the War Industries Board,
has recommended an appropriation Of
5000, 100000 for extensions and inn
provements, so that the electric plants
of the country may meet the demands
made upon them by the country's war
programme, and it is said that this plan
has the backing Of the White House.
Of little benefit will these increases in
the country's power supply be If they
are Offset by the decreasing output of
power Of existing public utility plants
through their insolvency and conse-
quent lack Of funds necessary to meet
obsolescence, and wear and tear.
What the u. S.
Means to the Allies
The Allies look to the United States
to win the war. Why do>they not look
to China or India to win the war
Those countries separately have more
men than we have, and combined, have
a population of nearly, 100000, 900,
against our mere 110.000,O00 souls. So
it is not our men alone who are ex-
pected to defeat Germany, but some
thing neither China nor India have and
what no other country in the world
has: our wonderful power-driven ma
chinery, production" machinery. That
machinery produced more steel rails,
automobiles, locomotives, railroad cars,
and more bicycles, baby carriages and
monographs, for less money and in
less time than any other country in
the world. Now, under war, pressure,
it is turning out more fabricated steel
ships, tanks, motor trucks, airplanes,
machine guns, heavy ordnance and
munitions in less time and for less
money than any other country. These
results are the product Of intelligent
standardization, high speed steel tools
and power-driven machinery. Our
power machinery multiplies thousand
fold the output of our decreasing in
dustrial man-power-a shortage of
labor that will continue for years after
the war. In the "war after the war;
the contest of nation against nation
for home trade and world trade, for in
dustrial prosperity, for Americas huge
store Of gold, what will win and hold
Americas proper place in the lead of
the great commercial peoples, if not
our power driven machines? 1t is we'll
that our War Industries Board Is plan
ming to increase now the electric power
to drive that machinery. 1t would be
we'll if all our public utility commits
sions follow the constructive and far
sighted lead Of the California Public
Service Commission, which is planning
comprehensive expansion Of the great
hydro-electric systems Of that state.
It Is essential that ali commissions
permit and compel rates for public
utility service which will not only pre-
serve efficiency through present SOL
vency, but also assure constant ex-
pansion to meet war needs and post
war demands.
Increased rates to assure credit and
(.1v,H H. 10. -. .11