Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1919-04-07

that from the standpoint of rendering
a public service that they had much
better have remained at home, teaching
the young idea how to shoot, and in
spending their spare time in the differ
ent war activities of their own COM
munity. But these young women felt
that they We're not properly compen-
stated in their own, communities, and
therefore they gave up their work in
order to answer call from their gov
eminent, which said, ON the screens
and elsewhere: Il need thee every
hour" or words to that effect.
Lastly, as my minister In the Unfair
ian church says, at the conclusion Of
his sermon every Sunday morning IF
among these many words you have
heard the still, small voice, harden not
your hearts" This friendly adapta-
ton is directly specifically by the
writer to school boards, officials and all
Others who have hand in fixing the
salaries of school teachers.
Good Scheme For Germans.
The report of the special committee
on government ownership and opera
ton Of public utilities recently made
by a committee of members for the
Merchants Association of New York,
contains lot Of refreshing innovations
in the arguments against this kind of Il
program for use in the United States.
But that the Germans, with their pecu-
liar .'kultur'' were fairly successful
with government ownership" and
operation, appears to be admitted. The
reasons, "whyfor," are given, and the
following is an extract from the re-
port:
st is true that government opera
ton of public utilities was measurably
successful in Germany. But the very
reasons which, under the German sys-
ten and being given the mentality and
traditions of the German people, made
lit fairly successful in that country, are
the reasons why under our form q
government, and with the spirit anf'
traditions of the American people, gov
eminent ownership or opera ton would
be bound to prove failure and a
grave social and economic detriment
to the country
In another part Of the report we find
! this statement: 1.-THE financial success
of the Prussian railroads is due to high
rates. which average about twice those
of American railroads, despite the fact
that the Prussian roads pay practically
Inc taxes and that American wages are
double those of Prussia. Moreover, the
operating costs of the Prussian roads
are seriously and wastefully swelled IN
the item of labor costs. by the exces
siye number of employees; where
American railroads employ one hun
dred men the Prussians employ ap
proximately one hundred and sixty
six an excess common everywhere I'M
der state operation"
The New York Merchants associa
| ton report on government ownership
has the following to say about the con
ditions in France: "The French state
owned railroads embody all the abuses
referred to above (refers to Germany,
The French government took over the
western system January l. 1909. After
five years of government operation. the
gross revenue had increased by $6.5o6,
600. During the same period the oper
ating expenses had increased by Sl3.-
O9O, 600. In the last year of private
operation the net revenue were SID,
1871 600; in the fifth year Of govern
|ment operation, with considerable
increase in traffic, the net revenues
were $7,223O0O.