The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1919-01-22

OApCAlScSS dAAN 1N8S10OCl. rs GlOI0 IL
hardly a, road in the, country that
would find it possible to meet the en-
ormous drains upon it with its present
operating income, drastic curtailments
would 60 into effect at once. The
shipping and travelling public would
be the sufferers from the reduction in
the number of trains, the impossibility
of collecting judgments for damages,
the prompt cessation Of all improve
ments that may be under way, and
loss of other benefits customarily ex-
tended to their patrons by solvent
roads. Dividends, Of course, would
cease at once, and the hundreds of
thousands of stockholders would seek
a means to reek vengeance on the in
dividuals and political party that had
been the cause of their loss. One of
the first acts of the receivers would be
to apply for a court order reducing the
wages of employees to a point of con-
forming with the ability of the roads
to pay. Such an order would make
enemies of the men it affected. They
would promptly forget the raise in pay
granted them by the Administration,
and think only of the reduction forced
upon them by the REIMBURSEMENT of
the roads by the Government. The Of
fcials of the roads, upon whom would
fall the tremendous task of bringing
order out of chaos, would see to it that
everything possible was done to bring
discontinue to the men responsible
for the predicament Of their proper
ties. In short, to throw the roads
overheard at such short notice would
bring such a storm of condemnation
about the heads of Wilson, McAdoo,
and the Democratic party that they
would not have a chance at the cleo
tons in 1920 or for the next fifty
years.
"And they know it. If there is one
thing above others to which the Ad-
m%inistration has devoted itself is the
attempted cultivation of popular ap-
prevail Of it's official acts: To sudden
ly reverse their policy in that direc-
ton, and bring down upon them q
countrywide flood of indignation
such asMcAdoo's rash act would entail
is the very thing above all others Of
which the Democrats will never be
guilty. The leaders of that party
know that the best thing for them is
to let Congress work out some sort of
legislation providing a means for the
return Of the roads with the least loss
and disorganization possible. It mat
tiers not if the next Congress is Re-
publican. If such legislation is of Re-
publican authorship it will divert at
tention, equally as if it came from a
Democratic hand, from the mistakes
Of the Government in the operation Of
the roads, and in just the proportion
in which it is successful in avoiding f.
nancial disturbances. The DEMOCRATS
in Congrejs s are wise enough to realize
AL that, and the McAdoo threat is but
Al attempt to bulldose Congress into
M&sty, epeEtment of legislation extend
in6 l0eral control for five years long
er.
"But it win fail of it's purpose. Re.
publicans who will control the next
Senate and House have the courage
of their convictions. They know that
a continuation Of Government control
will but add to the difficulty of ulti-
mately returning the roads to their
owners. They also realize that the
most carefully planned Legislation is
necessary to avoid disaster when the
roads n r%elinquished. The enact
ment of such a law will take tim,
but It will be one Of the first efforts
of the new Congress, and the country
can expect q logical working out d
the problem within a few months af-
ter the Republicans return to power