The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-27
MMINS URGES
--RVATE RAILWAYS
control"
"a Senator Would Have
triCt Government Rule Ap-
lied to Roads and Gives
'O11lhree Principles to Follow.
s MONIES, Iowa, March 21-Prl.

MONIES, Iowa, March 27-Pri-
operation Of railroads under
test government control was ad-
Qed by Albert B. Cummins, Iowa's
ut United States senator. in an
kGess to a joint session Of the state
Feature this afternoon. Mr.. Cum
A who was the ranking Republican
4Hber OF the senate Interstate COM
HSe committee In the last congress.
liberated three principles previously
oetJ by him which he thought should
49,, accepted in the enactment Of any
lar amental legislation"
- iey are:
obfrst-The return upon the capital
sccr1ted in railways should be made
\ ehin through a government under
III ag or guarantee"
Recond-The railways should be con
narrated into comparatively few sys-
XIV -not more than IS"
for hird-The railways should be OPP
cankd by private corporations organ-
Chs under an act of congress"
sinJe senator declared the readiust-
sndt Of the relations between the gov
haykent and the railroads is by far the
~ important and most difficult Of
athimany problems Of reconstruction,
gonj the possible exception Of the
sniAe Of nations.
gnal look upon transportation by rail-
erse AZ a governmental function he
tts inned. whether the government
40 best perform this function through
4 nav government ownership and opera
WI, OF railroads or through the instru-
ing1alities Of private corporations I'M
hsitpublic control, is entirely a matter
outlo,uhu Judgment ana wise alSere-
Ite speaker cited figures to SHOW
nite disparity I'm the earning capacity
rhhe various railroads" during 1915
iasF, ranging from operation at a loss
had net operating income of more than
doSSer cent upon the investment ac-
II.
Rho increase yates so these weak
Is, carrying about Is per cent Of
Ncountry's traffic, will become self
on aiming and able to finance them
ohies,' he continued, would give TO
dueroads which do rs per cent of the
thaness a revenue which the COM
ed est sense OF Justice forbids,
anche weaker roads must be merged
talt the strongest ones into competi-
der systems which can endure upon
Htantially even terms, | am not
forAvor OF regional systems. for we
whit at all hazard perpetuate COM
laaion in service and With, say, tx
ersenIE experts agree competition
n ID be even more keen than when
ly government assumed control,
a is possible to take railway cor
Millions already In existence and work
errthe plan with them, but my own
vasiction is that the safer and better
pitbed is to put eac OF these con
I'd W9ated systems in the hands Of a
II be6al corporation"
+ Golferring to his first principle"
coAtor Cummins said the return Of
n tal invested should be guaranteed
N Dehe government, as ut Is highly de-
thble TO remove for all time the de-
naAiizing, corrupting struggle between
II hisowners and representatives of rail-
NJ property and the public, especial
brihat part Of the public directly in
Il itvsted in freight and passenger
'ySges; that the honest investment
Midway properties is entitled to pro-
zion and the public is entitled to
~ treatment. 1t IL impossible to con
sasvse Of any revision OF the law that
~ accomplish these thNgs without
-. elimination OF the controversy re-
anrig to the return upon capital"
NJ regard to the third principle
railroads should be operated by
gate corporations rather than by the
Asrnment-the senator said he IA
ID this because 1.-THE government
M not operate the railroads either eco
ically or efficiently"
costs the government more to do
given thing in a country like ours,
re every man is n sovereign. than
osts anybody else TO do the same
p,g," he continued. 1.-THE history OF
Sty enterprise Of a business charac-
afponducted by the government proves
HIand n great deal more than the
ii thefuents ! have just made, l dis
edge no one, and impugn no mans
Ccgrity. What l have said Is not only
deh, but II is as natural as life 1t.