The sun., 1919-06-02
50 PER CENT. FAVOR
RAILROADS. RETURN
Canvass Of Nation Shows Ma
jority Of Communities Are
Against o. s. Control.
5,s92 EDITORS RESPOND
Widespread Sentiment Is Re-
vealed for Restoration Of
Private Operation.
5,ss2 EDITORS RESPOND

now bdOnSly pubic OpifloH mas
swung toward a demand for the return
Of the railroads to private ownership
and operation is revealed by the result
Of q Questionable sent by the Associs-
ton OF Railway Executives to every
newspaper editor in the United States.
Eight editors out Of every ten that
were asked to ascertain the sentiment
Of their communities reported positive
sentiment for the restoration OF the
roads to private ownership and former
efficient conditions of operation. About
one out Of ten reported sentiment against
restoration. A few were doubtful. A
few others did not attempt to answer
the question.
Before the President announced in his
recent message to Congress that the
Government would relinquish control of
the railroads at the end OF the year the
Association OF Railway Executives
mailed TO the 1924 editors OF the coun-
try. four direct questions covering the
future Of the railroads. Replies were
received from 5,992 editors, or ~ per
cent of the total OF these SO per cent.
stated that their communities wanted
the railroads handed back to private
management
Getting Community Sentiment.
Editors were asked not to give their
personal opinions. but to sppraise the
sentiment in their communities. The
four chief questions were rs follows:
1. Does public opinion in your judg-
ment seem to favor the return Of rail-
roads to private ownership and opera
ton as soon as this can properly be sc-
complished?
q. II so. Ia this opinion in part based
on the desire to see competition in ser
vice and facilities restored7N
8. What L. the present sentiment In
your community on Government owner
ship and operation OF railroads.
T.. What has been the feeling regard
ing the proposal to extend the period
Of Government operation for Ave years7
On the first question. Does public
opinion In your judgment seem to favor
the return OF railroads to private owner
ship and operation as soon as this can
properly be accomplished" SO per cent
voted yes, IL per cent. voted no. while
per. cent were doubtful and per cent
expressed no opinion.
On the second question, 'Tf so, is this
opinion in part based on the desire to
see competition In service and facilities
restored?' rs per cent. voted yes, 6 per
cent. voted no. with 8 and IA per cent
doubtful and blank respectively.
On the third question. What Is the
present sentiment in your community on
Government ownership and operation Of
railroads?" rs per cent estimated public
sentiment as against Government owner
ship. IL per cent. for. with per cent
doubtful and 4 per cent blank.
On the fourth question, what has
been the feeling regarding the proposal
TO extend the period OF Government
operation for I'VE years?' the vote was
as follows: Against, "a per cent for,
10 per cent; doubtful. 9 per cent blank.
per cent. *'''
No Cleavage on Party Lines.
That public opinion on the railroad
question Is not divided on party lines is
plain from a study of the vote in the
various States. III Texas. for example,
although only three of the 331 editors
replying are Repul> leans, the number in
favor of a return II the roads Is SO per
cent. considerably higher than the per-
centage ga per cent? in the strong Re-
publican State of Pennsylvania.
Tennessee voted 81 per cent, as COM
pared with SO per cent in Maine.
OF the 5,922 replies, 2.052 were from
Republican papers. 1859 from Demo-
cratic and 2.1s1 independent and scat
tering
The States showing s5 per cent. or
more In favor OF the return OF THE roads
are Connecticut, 81; New Hampshire,
100; Tennessee. 81. Those showing
from 30 TO s5 per cent. in favor are
Florida, %; Iowa, 90; New York. 30.
and Wyoming. -. Those giving from
ware. 50: Georgia. 81; Indiana, So +:
Massachusetts,. Sc; Michigan. IS: Ne
vada, IS: New Jersey. So: North Caro-
lima. Sc; Ohio. So; Oregon. ST; South
Carolina. SO; Texas. IS: Utah. Sc
Vermont. Sc; Virginia, IS. and West
Virginia, 81.
Those returning from so to s5 per
cent are: Alabama, 81; Illinois. So;
Kansas. 81: Kentucky. SO: Maine. So;
Mississippi. SO: Missouri. 81; Montana.
SO: Pennsylvania, 81; South Dakota. 81.
and Washington. 81.
Only Three Below 10 Per Cent.
Those giving from as to so per cent.
RADIO, rs: Louisiana, IT: Maryland, 75;
Minnesota, 70: Nebraska. rs; New Mex
leo, 76; Oklahoma, 70; Rhode Island.
.; Wisconsin, rs.
The only States below rs per cent.
are: Idaho. 72; Arkansas, IS. and North
Dakota, 81.
The strongest sentiment against Gov
eminent ownership was found TO be in
New England and the South. sections
widely apart in political sentiment. Only
per cent. OF New England editors and
per cent OF Southern editors reported
their people favoring Government own
ership.
On the question OF the return of the
roads the New England editors voted 81
per cent. In favor, s per cent. no. with
per cent. doubtful and blank.
In the North Atlantic States New
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania. Della
ware. Maryland) Sc per cent. estimated
public opinion as favoring the return OF
the roads, while per cent. thought pub
lie sentiment opposed It, with per cent
doubtful and blank.
In the Southern States alabama
Florida, Georgia. Kentucky; Mississippi
North Carolina, South Carolina. Ten,
nessee, Virginia, West Virglnia) Gil
editors est per cent? voted yes, per
cent. no and per cent. doubtful and
blank.
Sentiment I'm Lake States.
Tn the Great Lake States illinois
Indiana. Michigan, Ohio. Wisconsin,
1852 editors ga per cent? decided that
public opinion In their communities IA
vored the return Of the roads. while 12t
90 per cent? voted no; per cent
doubtful and blank.
The Northwest uowa. Minnesota
Montana, Nebraska. North >Dakota
South Dakota, Wyoming) returned 81
per cent. in favor and Is per cent op'
posed out OF total OF 1.i65 replies