Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-21

surprising message to Congress
yesterday was his recommendation
shat the railroads be returned to
sPrivate ownership within the year.
sNot that Government operation has
teeen such an unmixed blessing that
Ethe public favors a continuation of
Sthe present system, but that the
president had been generally under
estood to strongly favor the taking
f6ver of the roads by the Govern
sfnent. Probably he has been infiu-
Fenced to change his mind by the
financial returns of the railroad ad
tfhfnistration, the reports of which
have been progressively discourag-
Gng. Each new report apparently
marks the limit of inefficiency, only
Eto be exceeded by its successor. The
kfgures for March surpass anything
&el published in recording the utter
INABILITY of the Government to keep
nperating expenses within revenues,
tand show that instead of tending In
Chat direction, the divergence be-
Sween those vital factors is ever
Browing greater.
n The operating expenses in March
Fof this year showed an increase of
X6S.104, 900 over those of March,
etsls. but the operating revenues
INDICATED an increase of only
f$10, 0,466,000 over the same period.
THAT means a net decrease in oper-
tating revenues of s52,6SS,O0O in
March, 1919, over March, 1918. 1t
lis not difficult to foresee to what
"a state of affairs downward progress
fsion at that rate will reduce the
eTreasury if it is continued long
.enough.
4 4 There are indications, however,
Fthat the President has heard from
ethe people of the country on the
s$ubject of Federal control of rail-
groads and wire lines and is merely
frying to get into the storm cellar
before the wave of popular disap-
&Vroval sweeps over the White House
in the form of a Congressional
Fsnactment with so many votes to its
teredit that a Presidential veto would
Aave no effect on it's ultimate en-
Horcement as a law. The President,
7E would appear, is merely lodging
- licking.
And that applies also to his pro-
kbosal for the passage of limited
1protective tariff law. Either he was
a protectionist when the iniquitous
Underwood bill was framed, and at
ethat time he spoke frequently and
tatrongly on the virtues of free trade,
F6r he is merely masking his real
Hentiments now because he knows
Fhat a Republican Congress, backed
Ry a public that believes In pro-
Eection, will enact into law the kind
of a tariff it wants at all events
SEven the South has been protesting
against some of the Underwood pro-
&isions and next year being a Pres
Adential year and the President be-
ing pre-eminently a politician, he
De naturally playing to popular de-
khands. But what a disappointment
Rhis tariff recommendation must be
20 those Democrats who have been
Rnnouncing from time to time that
Ehe tariff is dead issue, never to
be heard from again in a national
A1ampaign.
EE AS to President Wilson's attitude
On wartime prohibition. it is one of
kiraddling which will make him few
@siends and will add to the rapidly
Erowing hosts of his enemies. His
Hlpporters will say that the war
ateing over, wartime prohibition
Should not become effective as
pianned. But wartime prohibition
Tas based largely on the scarcity of
|Erain in Europe and Europe needs
right now as badly as ever it did
he vast quantities of foodstuffs that
% into the making of beer. And If
beer may be made. why not whisky
I'D the stronger liquors? The Presi-'
tent has weakened himself and his
Hnrty. He has clearly labeled him
Elf the friend of booze, while bring
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