Omaha daily bee., 1919-07-28

the transportation lines have come
to the point where they are unable
to keep on selling a ride for a
nickel"
Pays Tribute to Omaha.
L. S. Gillette of Minneapolis paid
high tribute to Omaha, expressing
the opinion that it is destined to be-
come one of the greatest of the in
terror cities, "and even we in Min
neapolis are jealous Of it and its
wonderful growth" he added. q,
Mr.. Gillette asserted that he had
known Omaha since its streets were
muddy lanes leading out into the
country and that its hills, now COW
cred with fine residences were Gust
ordinary mud banks. He told of
having constructed number Of
buildings in Omaha, among them the
Burlington passenger station.
Speaking of the new home pro-
posed by the National Chamber of
Commerce, to be erected in Wash
ington. Mr.. Gillette said that the site
has been purchased for $775,000 and
100000 paid down. Upon this it is
proposed to erect a building that
will cost from $l,250,0O0 to $780,
600. The money to pay the cost of
construction is to be raised by sub
scriptions and sales of stock. A
campaign to sell stock to members
of the chambers scattered over the
United States is to be inaugurated
within short time.
R. A. Smith, Atlanta, Ga, MEM
Der Of the National Transportation,
conference talked on "Remedial
Railroad Legislation" but not until
after he had said that to him Omaha
was revelation. He had been made
to feel at home and looked upon the
city as one of the best, most up-to-
date and progressive that he had
ever visited.
Against Government Control.
Mr.. Smith apparently has little
faith in the government being able
to continue the operation of the rail-
roads, for be characterized govern
ment ownership in these words: 1T
is either dead. or has entered upon
a long sleep that will not be dis
turbed." He said that congress
would make a mistake if it tried to
patch up plan for the operation Of
railroads, as conditions have changed
materially since prior to the war.
Mr.. Smith expressed the hope that
when congress gets into railroad
legislation and particularly the rate
problems, things will not be left in
the air. He believed that the roads
should have rates that would enable
them to earn E per cent on fair
valuation and suggested that the
provisions of the antitrust law be
eliminated that the weaker roads
might be welded into systems,
whereby they could compete for
business.
Should railroads earn more than E
per cent. Mr.. Smith favored putting
the excess into a sort of a reserve
fund to tide over during lean years
and when earnings are reduced by a
falling off in business He favored
co-ordinating the waterways, the
and all transportation lines
with the railroads, adding that time
was too limited to go into details o!
the plan.
That the railroads are bound to
go back to corporate ownership,
control and operation was the opin-
ion expressed by Mr.. Smith, but
when, BE could not say. They are
yoins 10 need funds for operation
until they are able to get upon their
feet and to this end the government
is proposing a loan of S500.000,000.
In the matter of labor differences
and difficulties, Mr.. Smith was of the
opinion that in the future that will
be settled by arbitration and with
out strikes.