Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-04-19
Henry CleWs, However, Thinks
Peace Conference Makes
Satisfactory Progress.
New York. April u. 1919

AMNNN Is III q EANNANA ANAAANAA AMlu tNkE
so too, are several of the other enemy
movers. whose governments have been
either destroyed or weakened By war,
Nevertheless, constructive forces are
oh work beneath the surface, probably
making more progress than appears.
Newspapers have a fashion Of exploit.
ing the abnormal, and paying little at
teution to what remains normal which
Is not regarded "a interesting. Similar
remarks apply to the peace conference
at Paris, whore progress is undoubted-
~ tcing made in spite Of the tempo
rry but rigid differences which Oeea.
ailnallv obtrudc themselves. Consider
sag the effects of prolonged intense
war strain upon national sentiment,
public impotence over delay is to be
expected. No task of such vast dimen-
sions as the present peace treaty ever
pressed for solution. The questions are
multitudinous and highly intricate.
The diplomatic bodies to be consulted
are large and unweildly, while nerves
upon all sides are overweight. Our
own little wal with Spain required four
months in which to make peace. 1t is
only five months since the armistiee
was signed; and in view of the i'm
Intensity of the problem progress has
pecu remarkably rapid. 1t is fair to
assume that q solution is not far dis
taut or Mr.. Wilson would not be com
ing home during the current month;
though his return is FASTENED by the
urgency for his presence at home.
At home signs Of reaction are null
t|iplying against the various forms Of
gadiealism which tend toward anar-
vhy and bolshcvism. Even the social
istic drift is meeting with a check, as
ahe impraetieability of such vagaries
becomes more and more evident to the
initiated. 1t is safe to say tht govern
meut ownership of railroads in the
United States is much less popular than
ut any time since it was seriously con
sidercd. Government management has
proved unsuccessful, lowering service
and raising costs as TO create general
dissatisfaction Not only arc our ,ail-
roads inefficiently operated at pres
ent, but they are running down in con
dition and piling up a huge debt, thus
becoming a load upon taxpayers that
would not be tolerated were it not for
the war, which compelled temporary
government control. The roads are
now threatened with an enormous b, fl
cit which the country must pay. To
even up wages q further raise of $685.
100000 has been granted. making an
increase of 81 ,3G5 ,000, 600 since the war
began. 1t is not to be supposed that
public opinion would wrcst the rail
roads from their owners, push them in
10 confusion and then throw them back
upon their owners in a bad condition.
This would be q piece of dishonesty
which no congress weuld dare to i'm
pose. There is nothing to be done ex-
oept for the government to lift the
roads out of the difficulties which 1T
has thrust upon them. Remedial action
should be undertaken without deay;
and in all probability an early session
Of congress will be called to deal with
this highly important problem. A
very similar experience is being cndur-
ed by the telegraph and telephone
systems, which have distinctly deter
iorated and become more costly than
necessary under public management.
Moreover, the arbitrary and autocrat-
&c manner in which these concerns were
treated bv the authorities has raised
considerable antagonism to government
operation, plus no little hympathy for
aegrieved owners and officials, which
otherwise would not have developed.
Perhaps it is fortunate that these so,
cialistic experiments have been tired
out before ownership was actuSly
transferred to the government; for the
test has overwhelmingly proved that
private iniative and efficiency far sur
passes that of the government. 1t IS
oonclusively proved that government
control c a decline in service ana
on increase in costs, resulting in loss
cs which taxpayers must ultimately
pay. c,
The outlook is for a wonderful
wheat crop. On April l, the govern
ment reported the condition Of winter
wheat at %. s per cent, the highest con
dition ever recorded. This indicates a
Weld of about S37 100000 bushels,
compared with 5js,000,000 bushels an
1918 and 413,OOO,00O bushels in 1911,
80 that this is nearly double the av-
craze Weld before the war. Rye also
PROMISES a record crop Of 1Ol ,OOO,0VV
bushels, as against s9,000,0OO bushels
last wear and $1,000, 900 bushels the
year before. II is possible that these
figures NAV undergo deterioration; yet
a very high yield is practically GER
tain. which at the price Of ez'Zo per
bughel established by the government
means prosperity beyond all precedent
for tho American farmer. Needless 10
saw. merchants and Manufacturers III
4he agricultural districts will ENJOY uh,
usual prosperity. which in urn VIII
Dc reflected in all PARTS Of the eoun-
4ry. Our railroads will therefore eA-
perienee a much larger traitie thah
usual during the latter half Of the cur
rent wear. Incidentally this should ana
in adjusting railroad losses. when
must be Offset either by advanced
rates or considerably larger traftle'
Stock market activity continued up'
ON a liberal scale. Although ,-sEe mas
been considerable reaiiang, the nHu''
tone Of the market continues strong
and confidence in the future has not
been seriously disturbed. Apparently
the large decreases in industrial divi.
dends aud che advancing tendency OF
Interest rates have been discounted
no little confluence is based upon the
stimulus Of a profitable harvest. upon