The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-06-04
"OH, HELP Us!
UNCLESAM, OR
WE ARE LOST


IIull3Ne OF the UfGakuOWn OF trans
portation that has followed imme-
diately upon the return of the roads
to private control.
Railroad managers, who secuted
the efficiency OF government control
and successfully pleaded for the re-
turn Of the railroads to banker
Spectator operation, have admitted
their inability to cope with the situa-
ton. They have appealed to the gov
eminent to save them from the folly
Of their own acts. and unless the
government applies heroic remedies
to an iutoerabe situation the most
direful consequences may be antici-
pated.
The transportation bill which a
generous congress enacted at the be-
hest of the railroad lobby guarantees
the railroads against financial loss,
grants excessive and unwarranted
subsidies and gives the railway ex-
ecutives practically free hand in
dealing with the people. But it does
not operate trains and move mer-
chandise, hence the railroads do not
serve the people as they were served
during the period of governmnt con-
troll.
The boastful efficiency and econ
omy Of private operation proves to
be a myth much sooner than any
body expected Those familiar with
the transportation situation of this
country realized that when congress
returned the roads to private control
it was committing itself to a policy
that would be injurious to the ma
tional welfare Had our lawmakers
been as much concerned with indus
trial stability and general prosperity
as they were with the profit-making
schemes Of Wall street we would
not today be face to face with most
calamitous possibilities.
Railway managers, disavoWing re
sponsibility, are offering many eX-
cuses none of which is convincing.
First they charged that an made
( quate car supply was responsible for
the freight tie-up, resulting in en-
bargces that had strangled commerce
during the first month of private
operation. Then came the strike of
sWitchmen and trainmen. This gave
the managers a scapegoat and they
were not slow to accept it. First
they said that the strike had dis
rupted traffic, and then they said
that the strike was of minor i'm
portance and that the strikers had
promptly returned to work and were
glad to get it. Now they say that
car shortage and shortage of labor
are jointly responsible for the ex-
isting conditions.
No matter what the managers
man say, the real trouble is private
ownership. 1t is noteworthy that
the government, with half-hearted
support from managers at best, and
open hostility at worst, succeeded in
moving a greater volume of traffic
than had ever before or since moved
over the railroads of the country.
With less equipment than is now
mel depleted by the draft, with al
most insuperab!e handicaps, the gov
eminent brought order out of chaos,
carried unnumbered millions of tons
to the sea and transported it to Eu-
rope With every handicap that now
faces the railroads, the government
won a war. For more than year
before the roads went back to pri-
vate control it had not been neces-
sary to place a single embargo
against traffic.
When Mr.. McAdoo assumed con-
troll of the roads he issued an order
pooling equipment. This had the
effect of adding 100000 cars to the
transport service. 1t amounted to
| $4,000, 100000 in money saving. Ev-
cry car was at home no matter
where it might be. 1t was definitely
established that there was almost
( if not quite ample equipment for the
nations transportation needs.
Now all these wise regulations
have been abrogated. The old policy
of competition has been restored.
Millions of ton-miles are sacrificed
in the carrying of empty cars and
/ in long and unnecessary hauls.
That is the cause of the freight
congestion and the attendant seri-
Gus consequences. That is why the
country today faces disaster That
| is why the workers are discontinued.
That is why the railroads are wildly
lclamoring for the government to
again intervene and save them from
their own unbusinesslike methods.
The newspapers kept the facts
from the people when this problem
was up for discussion. They charged
that government ownership had been
failure and demanded that the
roads be returned to private con-
troll. They prejudiced public opinion
with transformation and propaganda.
But their roseate promises are not
fulfilled. Instead of greater eff
cheney we have larger costs, de-
moralization and stagnation.
1t is a large price to pay for ma
tional indifference, but perhaps the
people will we'll learn their lesson
in the bitter school of experience.
The crisis that faces the railroads
serves useful purpose, in one re-
spect at least. 1t is focusing atten-
ton upon the problem of transpOr-
tation as it could not otherwise be
interested.
The first lesson that the public is
learning is that the old competitive
conditions cannot be maintained
without serious consequences. It's
prime effect is that it tremendously
increases overhead, which is the
crushing burden Of a capitalistic So
ciety. The multiplication of terminals,
the overlapping of equipment, the
paralleling of lines and many other
features Of private railroading make
up a burden that constitutes a
staggering cost in the aggregate.
No one seriously questions that
We're the railroads today under pub
lie control there would not now be
congestion and decentralization. There
would be ample cars for the move