Daily Kennebec journal., 1919-01-04
Private Ownership
(Continued from Pace Ore)

ed conditions gradually. moved 6.496, :
900 troops. hauled great quantities Of
food at a critical time in February
when the very success Of the war de-
pended on the food situation and
hauled 37,0S3.000 more tons of bitum-
inous coal during the 10 months end
ing October 81 than in the same pc.
riod OF the year before.
Whatever inconvenience might ha We
resulted to civilian travellers. he as
serted were due entirely to war
conditions and were in no way re-
lated to the fact that the railroads
were under government control.
He went at length into tho neces-
sity for pooling terminal facilities in
scores Of cities. referring particular
ly TO Cincinnati. New York and Chi
cago. This program could not be
carried out, however. he said, except
under some form Of unified control
extending over IL number of years.
He emphasized that waterways
should be used more extensively III
coordination with railroads, but ex-
pressed doubt whether this would ne
done if the roads went back to COM
petitive private management.
After citing reforms effected unoer
unified control, he said:
II believe that even under the
handicap of war conditions sutti-
cient showing has been made to m
dicate that all the reforms I have
mentioned are desirable as permo :
nent Ieace measures. Yet it Is clear
that the general public has not had
an opportunity to appreciate TINS ahd
to weigh the real value Of what has
been accomplished. In view Of the
far-reachng importance Of any So
luton Of the railroad question Wh c'l
may he adopted, the public Is entities
to have, before the present federal
control shall! be terminated, n rea-
sonably fair test under peace con1i-
tions Of the advantages to be derlN-
ed from these reforms.
"it " i'll be impossible to review the
results of even one year or 1eHcr'ti
control under peace conditions until
the slring Of 1890. and it will then
be too late for Congress to leglsiatc
before the end Of the q months Pc
riod after the declaration OF peace
provided in the present law for gov :.
ernment control Operations under
peace conditions with tenure ~
short as the Il months cannot posi-
bly, constitute q fair test"
Indeed" he added, the difficulties
with operation during the II months
period after the declaration of peace
will be so serious that l do not sec
how the government can be fairly
asked to encounter them. II seems to
nc that anyone who wishes fair
and dspassionate study made as to
what is the best ultimate solution
and as TO the extent 10 which the
reforms have mentioned ere III the
interest Of the American public and
as to the way in which those reforms
can best be acco.nplished-if in the
interest of the American public
must he anxious to have a reasonable
period OF Federal control after the
war under conditions calculated to
make for tranquility and single
mindednrss upon the part Of the Fed .
craI railroad organization. ] do not
mean that this would be desired in
order to accomplish government own
crShip.'
Another reason for longer test
period, nc said. was the advisability
of having adequate information On
the valuation Of railroad property now
being gathered by the Interstate
Commerce Commission 10 guide Con-
gress in legislation providing 4 per-
nanent solution Of the railroad prob
lem.
Referrin. to the increase in freight
and passenger rates six months ago,
he said that similar action would
have been necessary even under pri-
vate management to prevent serious
losses. and said it shonld be possible
20 lower rates materially this year.
Uniformity of rates and equitable
distribution OF the rate burden over
all railroads regardless Of the fact
that some were unusually prosperous
and others poverty stricken, were
possible only under unified control.
he said, was another argument for the
tive-year continuance plan.