The Washington herald., 1918-12-09
BOURNE CALLS
U. S. OWNERSHIP
NATION MENACE
Solon Says Railroads Could
Give Better Service for
Less Money.
ASSAILS ENTIRE SYSTEM
Declares Federal Control
Murderer of Individual
ism and Initiative.
ASSAILS ENTIRE SYSTEM

The Republicans have thrown the
hat of government ownership into
The political ring. In a statement is
sued yesterday the Republican Pub
licity Association. through its pres
ident. Senator Jonathan Bourne. jr.,
claimed the railroads could have done
as much under private operation as
they did under government opera
ton. If they had been permitted to
increase rates by only a fraction of
the amount by which they were in
creased after the government took
them over.
The statement reads:
The question of government own
ership Is not one to be decided ac-
cording to the demands of temporary
emergency. 1t Is doubtful whether
there was any real need for the
government to take over the railroads
when it did. If the railroads had
oeen granted even a portion of the
increase in rates which Mr.. McAdoo
established soon after he got con-
troll. the private managers could have
~ONNSNcd liit IoduS NllH as sOOu
service as the public could expect
More Expensive, Less Emcient.
Neither was there, nor is there,
any reason for government operation
or the telephone, telegraph and cable
lines. Experience has shown and will
continue to show that government
operation is more expensive and less
efficient.
But cost in money and character
OF service are minor considerations.
The fundamental evil of government
ownership lies in the effect 1t has upon
the individual, creating in his mind a
wrong conception OF his relation to the
government. The gradual extension
of government ownership and opera
Uon carries with it the necessary as
sumption that private operation is
either inefficient or dishonest, and
that the citizen must look to the gov
ernment for service.
individual initiatiye IL dtscour-
aged. The fnarvelous spirtt Of ENTER
prise which developed. in this coun-
try. wonderfully efficient system OF
railroad transportation is rebuked by
the assumption that il has failed.
The men who built a network of tele-
graph and telephone lines throughout
the country are given the brand OF
failure by men who never built any
thing in any country. If that will not
dampen the ardor of American enter
prise we do not know what will.
Would Encourage Initiative.
What this country needs, and what
every country needs, Is encourage
ment of Individual initiative. We
should induce every man TO put forth
the best effort there is in him and
assure him a reasonable reward 70.
success. Under government owner
ship and operation the tendency is to
discourage individual enterprise. for,
as we have seen in the recent past.
partisan prejudice controls advance
ment except where an outraged public
forces recognition of ability.
None of the great American
achleVements can be credited to the
controlling hand of government. Free
dom of thought and freedom of en-
deavor. with security in the enjoyment
of the legitimate fruits of personal ef-
fort, are essential to continued prog
ress. Every Limitation upon proper en-
terprise hampers progress and must
result in inertia or retrogression.
The problem of government owner
ship and operation is not merely one
of higher costs and poorer service, al
though those are material considera-
tions. The real danger is the Stacking
of enterprise and the inculca ton of the
idea that the people of the country
must rely upon the government for
everything. instead of depending upon
themselves"