Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-22
RAILS CHIEF RAPS
FEDERAL CONTROL
"Menace to Our COnstitu-
tional Government" Says
Agnew T. Dice
u. S. RAISED ALL RATES
Reading Head Tells Diners
Operation Produces Bet
ter Results

Government ownership of railroads
would seriously endanger the founda-
tions of our constitutional government
In the opinion of Agnew T. Dice, presi-
dent OF the Philadelphia and Reading
Railway Company.
He believes that under government
control the methods by which new rail-
road facilities would sooner or later
be controlled would be similar to THE
national scandal that recurs with each
session of Congress in the huge appro-
priations for the improvement Of rivers
and harbors."
Mr.. Dice made these statements last
night in an address at the annual ban
quet of the S~cotch-Irish Club, in the
Bellevue-Stratford.
Governor Sproul and Henry p.
Fletcher. ambassador TO Mexico, were
guests at the dinner.
L. :. Raises Rates Immediately
Mr.. Dice started his address on rail-
o control by asserting that almost
Immediately after the government took
over the roads on December IS. 1917,
freight rates were raised 25 per cent
and passenger rates SO per cent. while
so many passenger trains were taken on
that passenger mileage was reduced
$4,000, 900 miles per year. None OF the
railroads, Mr.. Dice said, had ever asked
or expected increases of the size that
were made at once.
THE excuse for taking over the rail-
loads was given that the railroads had
failed or broken down." said Mr.. Dice.
NV -.- \ -L... 49, ALL ,l-nad III
did not fail or did not break down.. but
that the government failed or broke
down In not providing proper super
vision and regulation and authority to
the railroads to enable them to do what
was necessary before the war to
strengthen them. Had this been done,
I am satisfied that better service would
have been given during the war, and l
know that conditions on the railroads
today would be infinitely better than
they are"
Says Trial showed Evils
THE trial which has been made of
government ownership of railroads in
many countries. where that condition has
been forced by circumstances and con-
ditions thai do not exist in America,
leaves no room for any reasonable doubt
as to the evils, industrial and political,
tina inevitably follow government own
ership.
THE national scandal that recurs
with each session OF Congress, in the
huge appropriation for the Improvement
of rivers and harbors, furnishes an ex-
ample Of the methods by which the con-
| struction of new railroad facilities would
soner or later be controlled. Can II be
doubted, moreover, that constant pres
sure would be brought to bear through
political channels to secure the adjust
ment OF rates desired by favored local.
tiles, sections or parties? The uniform
experience Of countries which have gov
eminent ownership with the possible
exception Of Germany Is that railroad
management cannot be freed from politi-
cal influences. and 1t nno be doubted
that to subject the growth and operation
Of our American railroads to political
control would be an industrial and Geo.
1T may safely be said, nevertheless,
that a prime factor In the lowering OF
the American grade of railroad service
under government operation has been the
deadening of individual initiative, which
inevitably results when government red
tape gets wrapped around any industrial
enterprise.
Mention has been made of the un,
~breakable connection, wherever govern
ment ownership has been tried. between
railroad management and politics. In
every country. excepting Germany, where
government ownership has come about
the evil political consequences have been
fully recognized and fruitless endeav-
ors have been made. both to preserve
the railroads from the blighting effect
OF politics, and to preserve the polical
life of the country from the c%orruptinR