New-York tribune., 1919-05-09

road managers had long acknowledged
the fact and begged for higher rates so
as to be able to pay more. But why con-
fuse the public by undue emphasis on
the abnormality Of traffic conditions?
The freight movement in January and
February was as great as during the
same months last year. March showed
a decrease, but in March year ago vast
supplies of long distance freight moved
to ports, to shipyards and to fabricating
plants. Bearing in mind that an in
crease in rates tends to hold down ship
ments, and remembering the new compe-
tltlon OF the truck companies and that
a year ago war preparations were at
maximum, it would seem last years
March rather than this years March is
to be deemed abnormal.
Many rates are now all the traffic will
bear and no considerable increase in
traffic is to be expected. If rates are
given another boost local centres of in
dustry and distribution will grow at the
expense of the big centres, thus auto
matlcally lessening the length of haul
and bringing down the ton-mile figures
The halcyon days when in many lines
1T was little necessary to consider rates,
seem to have passed. A force which has
steadily made for the national integra-
ton of America is weaker, and i'm
portant will be the indirect effects. 1t
was to be. Government operation. has
small repute, but private railroad man
ayers, despite their marvellous skill in
finding ways to Offset rising labor and
material costs, could not much longer
have kept ahead Of the pursuing hounds
OF mounting expenses. Rates were too
low, just as the railroad men said. The
first victims were the security holders,
who saw their property shrink in value,
but involved with them were the unor-
ganized railway employees, whose COM
pensation fell below the level of decent
subsistence. The government happened
to take charge when damned waters
were about to break through.
1T behooves citizens, especially those
not greatly blessed with wealth. to give
common-sense consideration to the rail-
road question. Foolishness and demagogy
and protestation won't help. Almost
everything squeezable has been squeezed
from the small investors, who, chiefly,
own the railroads. Little more fat is here.
The consequences of folly will hereafter
fall on producers, in less for products.
and on consumers, in higher living costs.
The widening margin between the two
sets Of prices is the chasm to be bridged,
and 1t can be bridged only by eliminat-
ing unnecessary expense, by a better
plant and better methods, by stopping
leaks now draining railway income. Full
crew laws and all the interfering regula-
tons that wastefully absorb large sums
concern the public. We, the people, are
hereafter to pay the bills.
Here is an irrepealable and unescap-
able economic law. Private ownership,
rightly established, may do some good
but in itself will be no panacea. If con-
dltlons now existent continue, no great
gain can be anticipated from a shift of
management.
The railroad administration, ceasing
to palter, should take the public into
It's confidence. This it has not done. 1t has
feared the people could not be trusted
with the cold and clammy truth. Mr..
McAdoo and Mr.. Hines both have lacked
moral courage-have apprehended per-
sonal or political consequences if they
shocked the country by open declara-
tions. They have dispensed anodynes,
and these furnish no remedy. No more
lodging postponements, but bold and
frank leadership! The railroads are SER
vice agencies, and as such belong to the
public, and the public. if treated openly,
will be- able to take care of it's own.