Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-09-14
u. S. CONTROL OF
ALL PUBLIC UTILITIES
WAS WILSON'S PLAN
CONTINUED from Page one)

intent of the present administra-
ton. g. 4,
II must emphasize one Of the
gross Observation-Disclosures relating 20
the Cummins- Esch act Il dld not
provide for permanent govern
ment guarantee or dlVldehds on
railway capital. On the contrary
II placed a limit on these dividends
II did provide for maintenance
Of rates for period Of six months
which would guarantee @ sufficient
railway earning TO make posslple
the financing of necessary railway
improvements under the control OF
their owners, but this guarantee or
a 1-2 per cent earning was limit
ed to the period of transition OF
six months duration ana was UNI
yersally recognized as being neces-
sary because of the admitted fali-
ure of the government TO MAINTAIN
the railways in a state of prepared
ness for efficient service.
III we had returned the rail-
roads without this temporary
guarantee of earnings. in all Wop-
ability the great American system
would have broken down entireS
and we should have found our
selves in a state OF railway paraly-
sis which the country could not
tolerate.
eve also stipulated that their
Z should be no reduction of Amerl-
can railway wages during that
same period. In other words we
gave the American railway men
the same guarantee that we gave
TO the American owners and IN
neither case was this done win u
sole thought of owners or OF worn.
men but congress was thinking OF
the welfare of all the American
people. .-...
1--WE have eliminated every spe-
culative phase of railway operation
until the railway business has pc
come an extremely conservative
one with nothing left to inspire
efficiency and pride In manage
ment, except competition IN serV-
ice. We have taken away that I'M
pelling force known as money max
ing reduced railway operation to
service to the American people,
with very limited return, made
possible on capital employed.
Naturally this enactment did
appeal to those radical advocates
of railway ownership or those So
cialistic theories who thought the
railways ought to be seized by the
government and placed at the dis-
posal of the railway workers Tor
permanent operation and profit.
Congress felt an abiding obligation
to restore the property seized for
war TO those who held title there
to. To have seized railway prop
erty and turned 1t over to favored
class in America would have IN
volved the destruction of our very
system of government and revolu-
tionized the republic.
"There has been much outcry
against the (Cummins- Esch) act
as being hostile to labor and UNI
Just TO unionism aud subserviant 10
capital on the contrary :. is the
very opposite of these things. ~
does not interfere with collective
bargaining; on the contrary 1t ia
cilitates collective bargaining.
Moreover, II recognizes trat rail-
way workmen nught to be en-
ployed under the most fortunate
conditions for the good of all the
American people It. in effect,
provides that they shall be abund-
antly and generously compensated
and establishes for the first time in
America. a tribunal through which |
the governments concern for !
workmen may be given express
ion"