Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-04-16
WEDNESDAY April IL. 1919
TURN BUSINESS LOOSE.

Fuss and feathers at Washihstoh'
orders and regulations, wage raising
and price fixing by bureaus, graphing
of utilities. with fluctuating opinions
as to whether to release them or holo
permanently for socialist experiment
keen business men guessing. Manu-
facturers and the trade do not kno"
where they are or where they are
going. They do not know what the
morrow will bring forth and there
fore business is sitting tight.
Burleson and the presidential bunch
continue with bravado to uphold
present policies which had approval
of the president. But there are Dig
business dollar-a year men who have
vision and they are Fastening TO
stand from under the impending
deluge of public opinion.
In announcing plan for disposing
of the ships bought or built during
the war, under direction of the ship
ping board, Chairman Hurley, a few
DAYS ago, said II am opposed to
government ownership and operation
of public utilities, and only acquiesced
in that policy as a war measure. Now
what we want to see is the shopyards
aflame with industry under the slim
illus OF private enterprise, but OF
course encouraged by the govern
ment."
The administration was very proud
of being able to secure the services
of so big shipping and business man
as Hurley of the Pacific coast, and
he accomplished miracles in creating
a merchant marine. But the Burleson
and Wilson political socialistic plans
for grabbing and holding business
industries built by individuals and
brought to high state of usefulness to
the public.
On the same day that Hurley made
his opinions known, Chairman Mark
L. Requa. whom President Wilson
called to Washington from California
to become head of the oil industry
for the war made similar announce
ment emphatically in favor of the
government refraining from public
ownership and management of indus
try in time of peace.
A canvass of its 4 400 members, of
all branches of manufactures
throughout the country. has just been
completed by the National Association
~ fu Ptt
relating to business were submitted
to managers of industries.
Government ownership of public
utilities and private ownership with
government regulations. were among
the topics upon which opinions were
solicited from twenty-five groups OF
manufactures.
Almost unanimous opposition is
shown, by replies. TO any form of
government ownership of railroads
or other public utilities. and strongly
in favor, as an alternative, of return
ing the railroads to their private
owners
Furthermore, there is noted a very
strong demand in favor of private
ownership of all public utilities under
a more reasonable and limited form
of governmental regulation than that
which prevailed in the period prior to
taking over of the railroads by the
government for war purposes. Many
of the manufacturers say that they
base their judgment in the matter on,
what is described as more than "a
years unsuccessful and costly ex-
perience with government control of
the railroads"
In twenty out of the twenty-five
principal industrial groups including
such important trades (relating in
some way to transportation affairs)
as iron and steel, machinery, tools
and hardware and lumber, vigorous
opposition to continued government
ownership was found.
Only three possible exceptions
manufacturers in glass; paper and
printing, and tools and hardware in
dustries, respectively-record them |
selves to any appreciable extent as
favorable TO government ownership.
The three exceptions are disposed TO
have longer tryout of government
control.