The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1919-01-24
RAILROAD PROBLEM QUESTION OF
STUBBORN FACT,N0T OF THEORY
McAdoo favors a Five-Year Test Period in Which to Prove Which
Is Better, Government Ownership or Private Ownership
Wisely Regulated Under Superior Authority
Of Federal Government.

eASAA uNilCu w NlC puuiI(s
are not relished by some railroad cor
porations for competitive and there
fore selfish $ Such improve
ments would result in great econ0-
mics. without which it probably would
be impossible to reduce passenger or
freight rates during the twenty-one
months period. 1t is impossible to
carry forward an adequate program
OF improvements and to demonstrate
those operative economies which will
cheapen transportation in a shorter pc
Rod than five years.
Must Keep Out Of Politics.
would prefer not to mention poll
tics in connection with this problem.
because primarily it is an economic
question. But we must not be blind.
The American people have been dis
GUESSING 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 Il presi-
Dental election. 1t is idle to suppose
that under such conditions it will he
possible during this or the next con-
gress to secure calm and deliberate
consideration of the ultimate solution
OF he problem. much less a fair and
adequate permanent settlement. This
vital question must not be settled in
the hea or passion Of partisan poll
ties it must be dealt with i'm the calm
of an inter-presidentiai election period.
Some of the opponents of the sug-
sested five-year extension Of federal
control appear to do So on the ground
that the operating yer during the
year 1918 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 !. 1913, whereas the
increased passenger and freight rates
did moi 60 into effect until six months
later. II increased freight and pas.
senger rates had gone into effect Jan
uary l, 1913. 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 Creates. congestion of traffic
N their history vas upon them. 1t
cost the government millions Of dollars
to lear up the congestion and get the
railroads running again efficiently.
They also forget that blizzard followed
blizzard. and that it 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 al would have had to
be met had the roads continued under
private control, aud 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 a
period OF five years Of federal control
assured. 1t should be possible to main
tain existing wages and Working condi-
tions and to effect such economies,
that reductions In rates. both passen-
ger and freight, ought to follow with
ia a reasonable time. Unquestionably
economies can be effected under uni
fled cOntrol that cannot be practiced
under diversified control. Already the
extra charge Of one-half cent a 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-
ton to the proposed ~five-year extern
sion is based on dissatisfaction with
service given the public during the
war. 1t is argued that conditions have
been bad, although this is not true.
1t can be stated as a fact. which can
not be successfully c%ontradicted. that
service has been greatly improved un-