Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-08-07
MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED
PRESS
Observation-Disclosures Z, lsl.
THE RAILROAD PROBLEM.

The demand of organized labor
that private capital be retired from
the railroads, that the owners OF
stocks and bonds be compensated by
bonds of the government. and that the
MANAGEMENT of the roads be vested
I'm a tri-partite board consisting OF
the government, the operators VINO
shall lease the roads from the govern
mont and the employees, projects into
the politics of the nation one Of the
most vital problems with which this
country has ever had to deal.
While the labor unions call 1t an
economic question. We all know that
it is also a political question. Just as
the silver question was political aA
well as economic. The fact that it is
backed by organized labor as whole
not merely the labor employed on
the railToads-gives it tremendous
Significance and makes it at once a
live issue before the country.
The excuse for this demand is that
the railroads are the key industry
of the nation"
1t is demanded that the govern
ment, in which title to the roads is
to be invested. be content with one
half of the net earnings and that the
other half be divided between
operators and employees. If we under
stand Alright, the operators leasing the
roads are to furnish the capital with
which operations are to be conducted
and the employees are to do the work
for regular wages and salaries al1
ere then to participate in whatever
melon may be cut at the end of the
year in the shape of net profits.
Wherever government ownership
has been tried it has not been salts
factory-not even in Prussia. Under
private ownership in America The
railroads have been given the hest ser
vice for the smallest amount OF
charges to the public. On that ! ojnt
there can be no successful controversy.
Furthermore, government operation
full. The increase of expenses has
been enormous and the service has
deteriorated from month to month,
desp te the fact that about 1866, 900
employees have been added to the pay
roll.
But the same argument for taking
over the railroads applies with more
reason TO taking over all the lands of
the country. because If the railroads
are. the key industry of the nation
lumber make the industry of the ma.
ton The key cannot De more inn
poftant than the industry.
The proposition, insofar as its pro-
fit sharing policy goes. is not without
merit, and some sort of satisfactory
solution may be worked out without
revolutionizing the industries of the
country. But the plan demanded will
not be carried out in this country, i
Will have to be greatly modified il
form if anything approximating it il
adopted.
That the railroad owners generally
would be glad to unload their hold
ings for United States bonds, goe!
without saying. They would be fool
ish, from business standpoint. wert
they to think otherwise
But the vast majority of the people
will not approve. They have had al
they want of government operation
and in the southern states the opposi
ton would be bitter and continuous
regardless of what the rest of tn
country might think eventually Be
cause of the opposition In the sout
the question will hardly beaome a
issue between the political PARTIES
certainly not for a long time