The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-01-30

A Is ean, evidence OF 0lSclpIino.
der federal control, in spite of the
tremendous demands that the war
needs have imposed. Here again II T.
forgotten apparently That the railroads
were placed under government controf
for the purpose Of winning the waar
against the German autocracy. The
first duty was to 3 troops and
supplies. /, have vet to hear q sound
criticism OF the manner In which that
pressing war need was met. Millions
Of soldiers were moved safely and ex-s
peditiously to the seaboard, and rom
camp to camp. Foodstuffs, munitions
and other supplies rushed to
ships at express-train speed. The
American railroads during the past
year have functioned Tor the war puIr.
pose.
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 1913, there was practically no
congestion anywhere and we were still
at war. Remember the congestion on
the railroads In the crop-moving sea,
sons Of 1915 and 1917. Toward the
end Of 1915 conditions became so bad
that the interstate commerce commiss
sion made an investigation. As q I.
suit, Commissioner McChord filed . re-
port In which he said that mills have
shut down, prices have advanced, per-
ishable articles OF great value havs
been destroyed, and hundreds Of car
loads Of food products have been de-
layed In reaching their natural mars
kets." Also that Tong delays in tram
sit have been the rule rather b
the exception. and the operations Of
established Industrial activities have
been uncertain and difficult"
Became Simple Matter.
The accommodation Of passengers
In peace times, and the proper ate
tention to the transportation Of orbit
nary freight, become q comparatively
simple matter once the larger ques+
lions have been disposed Of. No prac%
tical, just and experienced man can
honestly argue that government opy
Grafton per Sc has caused bad service}
Already needed trains are being re%
stored; crowded conditions are being
remedied; rules made necessary bY
the war r being done away with.
I touch on such questions briefly In
order that there may be no becloudin9
Of the issue by the injection of false
premises. No INSTRUMENTATION viii
result to the travelling or shipping publ
lie BY the extension Of the period d
federal control. The question merely
Is whether wise and well considered
remedial legislation for the return Of
the roads. to private control can be
obtained under existing conditionf
within twenty-one months, and whetht
er, even II that were possible. the
roads could be operated successfully
economically and satisfactorily pendk
Ing the discussion by the congres4
and the country, and especially with
the 1920 presidential campaign APP
preaching.
Neither contingency being possible
In my judgment, I e no escape from
the conclusion that the period OF fed
eral control must be extended for i've
years, so that an adequate test Of uni>
fed operation may be secured under
peace, not war, conditions, and neces+
sary improvements to terminals and
other facilities be made, free from
partisan political Influences, or the
railroads must be restored to private
control in the e future to take
their chances under the old laws and
conditions which governed them prior
to the assumption Of control BY the
government.