Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-01-15
Rod than five years.
Must Keep Out OF Politics,

"Uoe Ncep OUt OF TOuIIC8s
would prefer not to mention poll
tics in connection with this problem,
because primarily it is an economic
question. But we must. not be blind.
The American people have been dis
cussing the railroads for generations;
almost every man in public life has
gone on record on some phase of the
subject. In 1920 there will be a presi-
Dental election. It is idle to suppose
that under such conditions it will be
possible during this or the next con-
gress to secure calm and deliberate
consideration of the ultimate solution
of the problem, much less a fair and
vital question must not be settled in
the heat or passion of partisan poll
tics; it must be dealt with in the calm
Of an inter-presidentia election period.
Some of the opponents of the sug-
gested five-year extension of federal
control appear to do so on the ground
that the operating revenues during the
year 1918 will be insufficient to pay
the rentals guaranteed to the owners.
They forget that most of the wage
increases granted to employees took
effect January l., 1918, whereas the
increased passenger and freight rates
did not go into effect until six months
later. If increased freight and pas
senger rates had gone into effect jan
uary 1, 1918, at the same time as the
wage increases, there would have been
no deficit. They also forget that the
government took over the roads when
they were completely paralyzed and
when the greatest congestion of traffic
In their history was upon them. It
cost the government millions of dollars
to clear up the congestion and get the
railroads running again efficiently.
They also forget that blizzard followed
blizzard, and that it cost much money
to overcome their effects. They for
get, too, that the price of coal, of steel,
and of other supplies was far above
normal during the past year. These
| added expenses all would have had to
be met had the roads continued under
private control, and to pay for them,
rates would have had to be increased.
Private operation the past year would
have failed utterly and the deficit
| would have been greater perhaps than
| under government management.
Economies Can Be Effected.
Under peace conditions, and with a
period of five years of federal control
assured, it should be possible to main
/ tain existing wages and working condi-
tions and to effect such economies
that reductions in rat ties, both passen-
ger and freight, ought to follow with
in a reasonable time. Unquestionably
economies can be effected under uni
fed control that cannot be practiced
under diversified control. Already the
extra charge of one-half cent mile
for riding in sleeping cars, imposed as
a war measure, has been removed, and
other restrictions enforced by the war
are rapidly disappearing.
Unfortunately some Of the Opposi-
ton to the proposed 6ve-year extern
sion is based on dissatisfaction with
service given the public during the
war. 1t is argued that conditions have
been bad, although this is not true.
1t can be stated as fact, which can
not be successfully contradicted, that
service has been greatly improved I'M
der federal control, in spite of the
tremendous demands that the war
needs have imposed. Here again it is
forgotten apparently that the railroads
were placed under government control
for the purpose of winning the war
against the German autOcracy. The
first duty was to move troops and war
supplies. I have yet to hear sound
criticism of the manner in which that
| pressing war need was met. Millions
! of soldiers were moved safely and ex-
| peditiously to the seaboard, and from
camp to camp. Foodstuffs, munitions
and other supplies were rushed to
ships at express-train speed. The
| American railroads during the past
year have functioned for the war pur-
pose. Civilian travel and ordinary
business, while Of necessity given sec.
| ondary consideration, have been cared
| for extraordinarily we'll in the diff
| cult circumstances.
But even in the conduct Of ordinary
| business, the record made by the rail
| roads shines by comparison with the
record of private control in previous
years when considered from the stand
point of important traffic. During the
full of 1918, there was practically no
co:sgestion anywhere and we were still
at war. Remember the congestion on
the railroads in the crop-moving sea.
sons of 1915 and 1917. Toward the
end of 1916 conditions became so bad
+ that the Interstate commerce commits
son made an investigation. As q re-
suit, Commissioner McChord fled re-
port In which he said that mills have
shut down, prices have advanced, per-
lshab!e articles of great value have
been destroyed, and hundreds of car
loads of food products have been de-
layed In reaching their natural mar
kets." Also that "long delays in tran
sit have been the rule rather than
the exception, and the operations Of
established industrial activities have
been uncertain and difficult"
Became Simple Matter.
The accommodation of passengers
In peace times, and the proper at
tent1on to the transportation of ordi-
nary freight, become a comparatively
simple matter once the larger Ques-
tons have been disposed of. No prac-
teal, just and experienced man can
honestly argue that government op-
Grafton per Sc has caused bad service.
Already needed trains are being re-
stored; crowded conditions are being