The Colorado statesman., 1918-06-29
INCREASED FREIGHT CHARGES
MUST BE ACCEPTED BY THE
PUBLIC, NEVERTHELESS.
IS REALLY A WAR MEASURE
Agricultural Department Hopes to Use
conscientious objeetors" In Work
on Gardens Around Army Campo
Trade Boycott Of Germany.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

,
rates. For nearly a half a century,
since the Granger movement was first
started, there has been protest on
| the part of shippers against high
! freight rates. Most of the prejudice
that has been built up against rail-
roads in the past has been due to the
/ belief on the part of shippers that
I freight rates have been exorbitant. OF
course the shippers made the produc-
ers and the consumers pay these rates
and this prejudice among the people
lation in the several states and inter-
state commerce legislation by con-
gress. all with view of curbing the
railroads and reducing rates.
No one except Director General Nc
Adoo could have put over anything
quite so startling as the increase of
freight and passenger rates. And even
If government ownership or control
had come to us when we were not at
war, the people would not have stood
for the advance in freight rates. Pre-
vious to the war when the railroads
made an application for 10 per cent
advance the protest against such an
increase was such as to prevent 1t.
But as long as the railroads have
been taken over for war purposes and
are run by the government the in
creased rates must he accepted by the
public, although the shippers will con-
tinue to protest.
The increase in passenger rates may
/ hA htrf hn
Ineffective as the average individual
will not make a complaint. Although
large number of this average indl-
vidual' makes up the public" he Is
not very effective in protests because
his protests are individual instead of
collective as in the case of the ship
pers. The average individual will pay
his extra railroad fare and say moth
Ing.
The agricultural department has an
Idea that it can reach conscientious
objectors," those individuals who use
their conscience to prevent them from
going to war, by drafting them for
service in work on gardens around
army camps. The department has also
undertaken to utilize men who are
unfit for overseas duty for the same
purpose. Maybe they will finally go
far enough to take German prisoners
and interned aliens and set them to
work growing crops. The Germans do
not hesitate to use all their prisoners
for work behind the lines, and in this
time of labor shortage the United
: seszn n. a. son,o
We have frequently heard men In
congress describe the difference be-
tween an "agriculturist" and a far
mer. As one man put 1t: "The farmer
farms the farm and the agriculturist
farms the farmer" But 1t remained
for Congressman Caraway of Arkan-
sas to introduce new one. During
discussion of an agricultural bill in
the house he said: II have observed
that whenever bill dealing with agri-
culture is to be discussed, all shade
tree farmers arise" 1t was unfortu-
nate that he did not go further and
describe the "shade-tree farmer"
However, it may be surmised that the
"shade-tree farmer" is rarely covered
with the sweat and CRIME of the fields
Possibly the U-boat warfare brought
TO our own shores will result in arous-
ing the American people to a
more thorough appreciation of the
fact that they are really In the
war. If our people would consider
for q moment they would see that just
at present this nation is really the
most important factor in the world
war. At present we do not have the
most troops nor the most ships, but
we are rapidly preparing to equal any
nation in the number of troops anu
also In the number of available trans
ports. But a mighty factor In the
whole thing is that the United States
since 1t entered the war has financed
and fed the nations which are hght-
ing the central powers.
1t ought not to have taken an attack
by U-boats upon our ships within sight
of our shores to arouse our people.
But now that they are aroused they
will probably make the Huns under
stand that they made second mistake
in regard to the United States. Inc
first was when they forced this coun-
trv into the war. This last attempt Is
one intended to frighten our people.
and the result will be to make them
more determined than ever to put an
end to German frightfulness.
Real economy knows no politics.
This was shown when Senator Thomas
was conducting his lonesome fight
against the new pension bill. "The
situation" according to Senator Thom-
as, "presents one bill from the house.
championed by Democrat, and an