The Mena weekly star., 1919-06-05
PUBLIC POLL FOR
 RETURN OF RAILS
Nationwide Questionnaire Shows to Vote Against Government Owner ship-5,922 Editors in the Cam
 vass-Priyate Management.

New York, June 2.-Public opinion is very strongly in favor af an early return of the railroads to their own CTS. as shown by the vote of nearly 6.OOO editors of daily and weekly newspapers turnout the country. A ouestionnaire sent to very editor in the country (13,424) brought replies from 5,922, or A per cent, and S3 per cent of the editors reported their com munities in favor of a resumption of private management.
 The questionnaire was conducted on behalf of the Association of Railway Executives, and was completed be- fore President Wilson announced in his recent message to congress that the government would relinquish con- trol of the railways at the end of the year
 Editors were not asked to give their personal opinions, but to appraise the sentiment in their communities. The four chief questions were as follows: l. Does public opinion in your iudgement seem to favor the return of railroads to private ownership and operation as soon as this can be prop erly accomplished
 ?. If so, is this opinion in part based on the desire to see competition .jn service and facilities restored? 8. What is the present sentiment z in your community on government ownership and operation of railroads? ? & 4. What has been the feeling re- Sgarding the proposal to extend the period of government operation for Efve years?
 d On the first question 83 per cent voted yes, II per cent voted no, while A4 per cent were doubtful and 2 per cent expressed no opinion.
 On the second question 75 per cent 5voted yes, per cent voted no, with 5 and Ii per cent doubtful and blank re- spectively.
 On the third question 7S per cent estimated public sentiment as against sgovernment ownership, II per cent for, and ' per cent doubtful and per cent blank.
 On the fourth question the vote was as follows. Against, "A per cent; for, l0 per cent; doubtful, 9 per cent; blank, per cent.
 That public opinion on the railroad question is not divided on party lines is plain from a study of the vote in the various states. In Texas, for ex- ample, altho only of the S31 editors feplying are Republicans, the number in favor of return of the roads is S8 Der cent, considerably higher than the percentage (S4 per cent) in the strong Republican state of Pennsylvania.
 Tennessee voted 97 per cent as Compared with 83 per cent in Maine. # Of the 5,922 replies, 2,O52 were From Republican papers, 1889 from Democratic, and 2,181 independent and scattering.
 The states showing 95 per cent or nore in favor of the return of the Roads are Connecticut, 97; New Hamp- *hire, 100; Tennessee, 97. Those Showing from 90 to 95 per cent in Favor are Florida, 94; Iowa, 90; New York, 90 and Wyoming, 94. Those giving from S5 to 90 per cent in favor are Delaware, 89; Georgia, ST; lndiana, SS; Massachusetts, S9; Michi- gan, SS; Nevada, 85; New Jersey, S9; North Carolina, S6; Ohio, S5; Oregon, s7 South Carolina, S9; Texas, SS; Utah, S6; Vermont, s6; Virginia, s5; and West Virginia, 87.
 Those returning from 80 to 85 per fent are Alabama, S4; Illinois, S2; Kansas, S2; Kentucky, 83; Maine, 83; Mississippi 83; Missouri, S1; Mon @na, s3; Pennsylvania, S4; South Da- kota, S1, and Washington, 84,
 Those giving from 75 to 80 per cent Are Arizona, 76; California, 77; Colo xado, 75; Louisiana, TT; Maryland, B Minnesota, 79; Nebraska, 78; New Aexico, 76; Oklahoma, 79; Rhode lsl- snd, 75; Wisconsin, 76.
 The only states below 75 per cent afe Idaho, 72; Arkansas, 6s, and Aorth Dakota, 61.
 The strongest sentiment against government ownership was found to n in New England and the South,
 ections widely apart in political sen- 4ment. Only per cent of New Eng End editors and per cent of South
 rn editors reported their people as RVoring government ownership.