The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-01-24
RAILROAD PROBLEM QUESTION OF
STUBBORN FACT, NOT Of THEORY
McAdoo Favors FKeYear Test Period In Which to Prove which
Better, Government Ownership Private Ownership
Wisely Regulated Under Superior Authority
of Federal Government.


improvements, such as joint terminals.
while Of greet benefit to the public,
are not relished by some railroad cor
porations for competitive and there
fore selfish reasons. Such improve
ments would result In great econo-
miles, without which II probably would
be impossible to reduce passenger or
freight rates during the twenty-one
months period. II Is impossible to
enrry forward an adequate program
Of improvements and to demonstrate
those operative economies which will
cheaper transportation In a shorter pc
rlod than five years.
Must Keep Out Of Politics.
1 would prefer not TO mention poll
ties In connection with this problem,
because primarily 1t Is an economic
question. But we must not be blind.
The American people have been dis
cussing the railroads for generations;
almost every man In public life has
gone on record on some phase of the
subject. In 1920 there Will be presi-
Dental election. Il is idle to suppose
that under such conditions II win be
possible during this or the next con-
gress TO secure calm and deliberate
consideration Of the ultimate solution
Of the problem, much less a fair and
adequate permanent settlement. This
vital question must not be settled in
the heat or passion of partisan poll
tics; 1t must be dealt with In the calm
OF an inter-presidential election period
Some Of the opponents of the sug-
gested fiye-year extension OF federal
control appear to do so on the ground
that the operating revenues during the
year 1913 will be insufficient to pay
the rentals guaranteed to the owners.
They forget that most of the wage
Increases granted to employees took
effect January 1, 1918, whereas the
Increased passenger and freight rates
did not go into effect until six months
later. II increased freight and pas
senger rates had gone into effect Jan
uary /, 1918, at the same time as the
wage increases, there would have been
no deficit. They also forget that the
government took over the roads when
they were completely paralyzed and
when the greatest congestion of traffic
In their history was upon them. It
cost the government millions of dollars
to clear up the congestion and get the
railroads running again efficiently
They also forget that blizzard followed
blizzard, and that 1t cost much money
to overcome their effects. They for
get, too, that the price Of coal, Of steel,
and of other supplies was far above
normal during the past year. These
added expenses all would have had to
be met had the roads continued under
private control, and to pay for them,
rates would have had to be increased.
Private operation the past year would
have failed utterly and the deficit
would have been greater perhaps than
under government management.
Economies Can BE Effected.
Under peace conditions, and with
period of five years Of federal control
assured, IT should be possible to main
tain existing wages and working condl-
lions and to effect such economies,
that reductions In rates, both passen-
ger and freight, ought to follow with
In a reasonable time. Internationally |
economies can be effected under uni
fed control that cannot be practiced |
under diversified control. Already the |
extra charge of one,half cent mile
for riding in sleeping cars, imposed as
a war measure, has been removed, and |
other restrictions enforced by the war /
are rapidly disappearing.
Unfortunately some of the opposi-s
ton to the proposed tive-year extern
sion Is based on dissatisfaction with |
service given the public during the |
war. II Is argued that conditions have
been bad, although this Is not true.
II can be stated as a fact which can
not be successfully contradlcted that |
service has been greatly improved un-
der federal control, In spite OF the
tremendous demands that the war
needs have imposed. Here again II is
forgotten apparently that the railroads
were placed under government control
for the purpose of winning the war
against the German autocracy. The
first duty was to move troops and war
supplies. l have yet TO hear a sound
criticism of the manner In which that
pressing war need was met. Millions
OF soldiers were moved safely and ex-
20 the seahoard, and from
camp to camp Foodstuffs, munitions
and other supplies were rushed to
ships at express-train speed. The
American railroads during the past
year have functioned for the war pur-
pose. Civilian travel and ordinary
business, while OF necessity given sec
ondary consideration, have been cared
for extraordinarily well In the diff
cult circumstances.
But even in the conduct OF ordinary
business, the record made by the rail
roads shines by comparison with the
record OF private control in previous
years when considered from the stand
point Of important traffic. During the
fall of 1918, there was practically no
anywhere and we were stiil
nj war RamemhRr the ponCaSfioy, ON |