The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-12-03
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thousands of the returning soldiers r,
me reclamation of the arid land!
which 1t has already undertaken, if i
VIII hut enlarge the plans and the az
preparations which it has entruste,
20 the department of the interior.
II IS possible in dealing pith ou
unused land to effect great rura
and agricultural DEVELOPMENT which
Viii afford the best sort of opportuni
~, to men who want to htin them
selves and the secretary of the interi
or mas thought the possible method.
out IN way which is worthy of yOul
most friendly attention.
entirely concur with the Secretar,
or the treasury in recommending thai
me Two billions needed in addition IL
me Tour billions provided by eSisting
law be obtained from the profits whicl
have accrued and shall accrue from
war contracts and distinctively wal
BUSINESS, hut that these taxes hs con
flned to the war profits in 1915. or ir
l?l9 from business originating in wal
contracts.
urge Your acceptance of his recon-
hiehdatIon that provision be made now
not subsequently, that the taxes to be
paid in 1920 should be reduced from
six to four billions.
Any arrangements less definite thar
'lle>e Woulu add elements of doubt and
confusion to the critical period of In
duStrlal reimbursement through which
the country must now Immediately
pass, and which no true friend of tht
nations essential business Interests
can afford to be responsible for ere
aling or prolonging.
Clearly determined conditions. clear
~ and simply charted, are indisDenS
ap!e To the economic revival and rapit
Industrial development which NAV con
hdentlE be expected if we act now anf
sweep all Interrogation points away
take 1t for granted that the con
GreSS Will carry out the naval program
which was undertaken before We on
tered the war
The secretary of the navy has sub
mltted TO your committees for authori
Tation that part of the program whicl
covers the building plans of the mex,
three years.
These plans have been prepared
along the lines and in accordance witt
'he policy which the congress estab
iiShed, not under the exceptional con
ditions of the, but with the inten
non of adhering to a definite method
OF development for the navy
earnestly recommend the uninter
rupted pursuit of that policy.
1t would" clearly he unwise for II,
10 attempt to adjust our programs t.
future world policy as yet unde
I"rmined
The question which causes me the
Greatest concern is the question OF
ne policy to be adopted toward tn,
railroads.
l frankly turn to you for counse
'2pon it, | have no confident iudg
nent of my own.
| do not see how any thoughtful
man can nave who knows anything d
The compleNity of the problem.
1t is problem which must be studi
ed. studied Immediately, and studied
without bias or prejudice
Nothing can be gained by becomins
artisans of any particular plan o.
settlement.
1t was necessary that the admins
tratiOn of the railways should be
aiken over by the government so Ions
a> the war lasted.
1t would have been impossible other
wise to establish and carry through
under single direction the necessar,
nriorities of shipment.
1t would have been impossible other
Use to combine maximum production
Il the factories and mines and farm,
with the maximum possible car suppl,
- take the products to the ports AM
!narkets: impossible to route troo1
shipments and freight shipments with
"ls regard to the advantage or disad
antaga of the roads employed; i'm
POSSIBLE to subordinate, when neces
AIRY. all questions of convenience t.
Ne public necessity; impossible t,
I've the necessary financial support ,C
:"a roads from the public treasury.
But all these necessities have now
loan SnrvnI fha 60, h..
= best for the railroads and for I'll.
G.-hlic in the future
Exceptional circumstances and eN
"'ntional methods Of administrator;
ere not needed to convince us tina
he railroads were not equal to tn.
immense tasks Of transportation i'm
oSed upon them by the rapid an
-'"ntinuous development of the ind'.~
lies of the country.
We knew that already. And W
new that they were UNEQUAL to i
irtly because their full cooperation
- rendered impossible by law an
In competition made o5ligatory.i $,
1t Ii has been impossible to aSsigr
them severally the traffic which
nd best be carried by their respe"
i've lines in the interest Of expedition
'nl national economy
We may hope, I believe, for III.
"lmal conclusion of the war by trea '
the time spring has come.
The twenty-One months TO whici
& present control of the railways is
United after formal proclamation o.
race shall have been made, will III!
the farthest, I take it for granted
5r!y to the January of 1921.
The full equipment of the railways
which the federal administration haG
damned could not be completed with.
Ii any such period.
The present law does not permit the
use of the revenues Of the several
Dads for the execution Of such plans
kept by formal contract with their
directors, some Of whom will consent
while some will not, and therefore
does not afford sufficient authority to
Undertake improvements upon the
scale upon which it would be neces.
>ary to undertake them.
Every approach to this difficult sub
iect matter Of decision brings us face
to face, therefore, with this unaswer-
ed question: What Is 1t right that we
should do with the railroads, in the
interest of the public and in fairness
to their owners?
Let me say at once that I have no
answer ready. The only thing that Is
perfectly clear to me is that it Is not
fair either to the public or to the own
erS of the railroads to leave the QueS
ton unanswered, and that it will pres
emily become my duty to relinQuisf
control of the roads, even before the
expiration OF the statutory period, IN
less there should appear some cieal
prospect in the meantime of legisla
tive solution.
Their relaese would at least produce
one element of a solution, namely
certainty, and quick stimulation OF
private initiative.
| believe that it will be serviceable
fer me to set forth as explicitly as
possible the alternative courses thai
lie open TO our choice.
We can simply release the roads
and go back to the old conditions OF
private management, unrestricted com
petition. and multiform regulation 10y
both Sta'e and federal authorities: OF
We can 90 10 the opposite extreme
and establish complete government
control, accompanied, if necessary, by
actual government ownership: or we
can adnnt an intermediate course OF
-O-
II Coc@oro<o Poe%