The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-01-14

SC99WS Weekly letter.
President Wilson's statement of our
peace aims may not bring an imme-
date end of the war. Nevertheless,
it will both stimulate and facilitate
negotiations to that end, when the
mind Of Germany realizes the inevita-
BILE and better understands the real
objects of the Allies. This message is
an historic document of the highest
Importance. It is the cIeareSt and the
strongest statement Of any hitherto
put out by the Allied governments.
II is based on simple justice through
out; Is remarkable for the unseltlSh
tone that permeates the message from
beginning to end and viii accomplish
much toward clarifying the issues,
crystaHizing All, opinions, and
heartening the Allied cause and OPP
erations. While the immediate out
look for peace is poor, there is no
doubt that this clear-cut enunciadon
of the Allied terms, and their deter
mination to attain them, will ult1-
mately hasten peace; the main OBJ
e,tacle to that end being the ignor-
ance Of a large part of Germany as to
the real purposes of the Allies, as well
as a belief that theJ seek the disso-
luton of Germany and dictadon OF
her internal a1Tairs, which is abso-
lutely false.
Tho excellent impression of the
Presidents latest recommended lions
concerning government control Of the
railroads was somewhat offset by an
outbreak in Congress of agitation for
government ownership and the intro
duction of bills for that purpose. 1t
IS exceedingly unfortunate that such
a question should be thrust upon the
legislature at this time. President
Wilson's sugge5tions were strictly a
war measure, and when public opin-
ion is preocupied and confused by
other, more important measures, 1t is
highly unpropitious to force hasty
discussion upon so complicated and
vast a subject Government owner
ship Is a question that demands not
QUICK action, but thorough discussion
and investigation in advance. To
jump first and think afterward is
fool-play. The question of govern
ment ownership concerns owners,
shippers and employees; all Of which
are part of the public, and equally en-
tstled to fair treatment The owners
are not confined to stockholders on
the Books. but also to the millions of
people Of moderate means whose saw
ings are heavily invested in railroad
securities through savings banks, in
surance companies ant5 other hdUciary
organisations. The owners also in
clude the great banking and invest
ment fabric of the country, which
49, to nd
the upheaval of business that would
follow and lasting damage to the rail-
road industry. Owners Of tho rail-
roads, or their representatives. have
3 a just claim for a fair return on the
nSe of their property. Shippers have
a claim for efficient service, which
starvation through harsh government
regulation has for years prevented
Labor desires freedom OF choice and
movement; something which it Is more
likely to preserve under private own
er8hip than under government owner
ship; for the reason that, if owners
and shippers are to como under alb
solute government control, labor viii
of necessity also have to submit to
government regulation Of hours and
wages. The big advances in wages
of the last two years would never
have been possible under government
ownership, because no government
would have dared make such drastic
concessions to a class, as have been
made within the last few years to
railroad employees. Moreover, >there Is
no real public demand for govern
ment ownership at this time; tho fail
are Of government regulation under
the Interstate Commerce Commission
having visibly shaken confidence In
the ability of the government to per-
form such a service. In spite OF sew
eral years Of enforced starvation,
American railroads have been render
ing under private management the
most efficient service of the worlds
and their development has been d.
rected in the line OF public necessity
more effectualiy than could have been
done by any government. There is
also one other very potent reason why
this question of government owner
ship should be sidetracked; and that
Is the gigantic load which the gov
eminent Is already carrying. Our adj
Illustration is already badly over
loaded with unprecedented response
bilities; and to pile on unnecessary
burdens at this time would he to break
its back at a critical period. Patri-
outism and good management alike
demand that such a mistake should
be studiously avoided. The function
Of government is to govern. Just now
our government is in addition carry
ing on the greatest business in his
tory, that Of making war. This rs not
. time, therefore, to multiply confu-
sion by pushing the question Of gov
eminent ownership.
The strength of the industrials in the
security markets is frequently strfk-
ing. and much confidence is expressed
in the future of those based on metal
products. This confidence is founded
upon the expectation of large de-
mands for steel and copper; war or no
war. Tf war continues, 50 will the
demand Tor munitions, which is tax
ing output to the limit. If peace
comes, then Europe VIII be a heavy
buyer for reconstruction purposes for
years to come, and the home demand
Will be divided between the 4 aroads
and lcng-deferred building Ster-