Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1919-06-08
Eminent Strong Against
government Management
/ of Roads.
Rq2 EDITORS OF
THE NATION VOTE
hestiOnnaire Shows Seven to One
for Private Conduct of he
Railroads.
RY EDWARD A. MOREE

BY EDWARD A. MOREE
Manager, Press Service Company
New York, June Public opinion
very strongly in favor of an early
turn of the railroads to their owners,
shown by the vote Of nearly 5000
itors of daily and weekly news
pers throughout the country. A
estionnaire sent to every editor in
country 13,424) brought replies
.om 1922, or al per cent. and 83
r cent of the editors reported their
|mmunities in favor of a resumption
private management.
The questionnaire was conducted on
&haf of the Association of Railway
kecutives, and was completed before
resident Wilson announced in his re-
mt message to congress that the
pvernment would relinquish control
j the railways at the end of the
Ear.
Editors were asked not to give their
ersonal opinions, but to appraise the
ointment in their communities. The
bur chief questions were as follows:
|. Does public opinion in your judg-
hent seem to favor the return of
hroads to private ownership and
peration as soon as this can properly
Y accomplished?
| 2. If so is this opinion part based
b the desire to see competition in
ervice and facilities restored?
3. What is the present sentiment in
|our community on government
|wnership and operation of railroads?
a. What has been the feeling re-
|ardlng the proposal to extend the
|erlod of government operation for
I've years?
On the first question, "Does public
|plnlon in your judgement seem to
avor the return of railroads to pri-
ate ownership and operation as soon
) TINS can be Accomplishment" 83 per
',. voted yes, II per cent voted no,
Fhlle per cent were doubtful and 2
ef cent expressed no opinion.
on the second question, eff so, is
Ills opinion in part based on the de-
IRE 10 see competition in service and
aclIltles restored?" rs per cent voted
ees' 3 per cent voted no, with 5 and
= per cent doubtful and blank re-
pectively.
IN the third question, "What is the
resent sentiment in your community
o IL government ownership" 70 per
ell! estimated public sentiment as
salhst government ownership, II per
ent Tor, with 7 per cent doubtful and
per cent blank.
o on 1 the fourth question, "What has
cen esn, .he feeling regarding the pro-
,o 10 extend the period of govern
0tn operation for five years?" the
,nt was as follows: Against, IA per
snt; for, 10 per cent: doubtful Q
q T1 cent; blank, 7 per cent.
n inat public opinion on the railroad
ae n,: is not divided on party lines
- pam from study of the vote in
NJ ,larlous states. In Texas, for ex-
I ipls, although only 3 of the 311
nnahs. replying are Republicans, the
1ado ;: IN favor of a return of the
; ;aS Is SO per cent. considerably
a ,etsf, IMAM the percentage (84 per
pon III the strong Republican State
a ,etIn 'e::ss voted 81 per cent as COM
1 ns with SO per cent in Maine.
rom p 1,e 1922 replies, 2,O52 were
'emoo Mepuohean papers, 1859 from
nd ,d"o "sa, and 2,181 independent
'i u, scattering. ''e'''
,o rme =; states showing IS per cent or
o ao,e IN favor of the return of the
bfus are Connecticut, 81: New Hamn.
how;noll oo; Tennessee, 81. Those
a awning from 80 to 95 per cent IN
Fowl J[ are ere Florida, %; Iowa, 90: New
,ivi n, ~ and Wyoming, 81. Those
anlng from IS to 90 ne a cont MOSS IS
ndian are Delaware, 80; Georgia, 81;
licb;n a' ~; Massachusetts. SO;
ers ",gan n, SO; Nevada, IS: New
+. 1 ~, 81; North Carolina. Sc. Ohio
,e e, oFe go 81; South Carolina. 80
yirgi n, o. j. Utah, SO; Vermont, s.
Tbou ,a' 80, and West Virginia. 81
emf o s returning from so to 81 ne,
iansa are o. Alabama, 81; Illinois. So
lississ;;no9: o.; Kentucky, SO; Maine. SO
ana Ssa5p ppl 80; Missouri, 81: Mon
dakota 90 3, pennsylvania, "a; South
T hoss, 81, and Washington, 81.
re Ar rr giving g from rs to 80 per cen
ado, Is e' Iar; Is; California, II; Colo
09 US. Mot II; MARYLAND, rs
Stand - 70; Oklahoma, 70: Rhod,
The 10 10; Wisconsin, rs. '
ire Id my states below rs per cen
North upns &c., 70; Arkansas, IS, an,
.overnn strongest sentiment agains
e in Mem, ownership was found t
sections England and the South
entiment widely apart in politica
"'' Only 4 per cent Of New