New Britain herald., 1919-08-30
LOSS IN BRITISH RAILROADS.

1OSS IN 4SH IiAlLIfJADo.
 *rhe National Bank of Commerce. of
 w York, in the current issue of the
 mmerce Monthly, published by that
 titution, declares that the operation
 railroads in Great Britain cost that
 vernment $119, 9,000,000 from the be-
 hning of the war until the close of
 IS, and further claims that it will
 st the people $370,000,000 to main
 n the roads during the present year.
 e net operating revenue of the roads
 ceeded the same for 1913. The rail
 bys had been granted, by the govern &ent, an amount equal to their net &come in 1913 as a yearly recompense #hen they were taken over in 1914.
 he government is liable for tho
 nount of wear and tear on the roads, N d, despite the fact that it appeared, Trough the government appropria- #bn, that the roads had made about $1,000,0O0 during the war, which me to them in guaranteed returns,
 ere is a loss of s119, 9,O00,000 owing
 the replacement of equipment ehich must be made. The amount of 100000 is figured as covering
 ear and tear during the four years. This year, as traffic has fallen off $nsiderably, it is estimated that the kvenue will be $725, 100000. The cost operation, also estimated, owing to he greater price of labor and ma Brials, will total $8S1, 100000 and, on kp of this, the government must pay the roads the annual guaranteed kvenue which will put the cost of lInning the roads up to the price of B7O, O,OO0,OO0 for the government. Although the British Isles possess bry good rail systems and the serv- ke is thoroughly excellent, there are |o such systems as there are in the Fnited States. It takes but day or b to go from one end of the island to he other and less than a day to cross |. We have an enormous continent Ehich it takes many days to cross, orth and south, or east and west, and is not surprising that we are oper- ting our railroads at a loss as well as lur allies in Britain. The cost of la Tor and materials has kept pace with hat in England, and the wear and car on equipment has been as great, not greater.
 Eventually, providing that labor nd materials do not increase too much, we will again have the systems n the United States that were ours be- ore the war. The strain upon our abilities, our damaged and ignored olling stock and road beds, will cost great deal to refurnish and repair. New equipment will work toward an ,ppreciable decrease in returns, or an increase in deficit. The railroads will lot be in a position to pay for several vears.
 The situation here is similar to that n other lines of public need. The ystems have not been producing, in me sense of the word, as every pos ible item of repair and upkeep has ,een trimmed to the minimum to help IS in war work. We must make good he extra strain we have placed on the 'oads, just as we must make good the situation, by increasing our present expense in erecting houses, an tenn which was forgotten during the war Under-production in many needs took place while we diverted our efforts to the production of muni- ions and an army. production must be the rule now.
 Confronted with the several situa- ions that are before us, namely, the railroad demand. the housing short age, the food troubles and others less all of which have reached a nave been the case had the war con- .inued another year or so. Conditions were getting steadily worse and they have approached seemingly OVer- bearing climax now. If the war had continued the strain on facilities would have been so much the greater, the loss in wear and tear, without re- many times increased. It Is with fervid thanksgiving that we recognize that the war is OVer hu- nanity might have crashed had it still been going on.