The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-02-18
MR.. HOOVER TELLS
HIS VIEWS ON
PUBLIC ISSUES
Return of Railroads Is Test Of
Private Ownership
COMPETITION is NEEDED
Socialism or Any Other Scheme to Re.
place Competition ls Certain
Failure

New York, Feb. 1.-THE return OF
the railroads to pr vate ownership
on March l, will mean the placing OF
private operation on its 4 nal trial."
Herbert Hoover decla ed tonight in
his inaugural address as president of
the American Institute of Mining En-
neers. At the same time Hr Hoover
attacked government operation OF
either railroads or sh piping as "eY-
periments in Socialism necessftated
by the war" TO which they were
many fundamental objections.
No scheme OF political appoint
rlent," M. Hoover sad, "has ever
yet been devised that VIII replace
competition in its selection of abili-
ty and character. Both shipping and
railways have today the advantage
OF many skilled personnel, sifted out
in hard school of competition and
even the government operation to
these enterpr SEES Is not proving sat.
isfactory. Therefore the ultimate in.
eff cheney that would arise from the
has not yet had full oppo tunity for
development. Already we can show
that no government under pressure
of ever present political or sectional
interests can properly conduct the
risks of extension and Improvement
or can be free from local pressure Ito
conduct unwa ranted services in in
dustrial enterprise
After referring to the handicaps ipl-
posed upon bus ness through the fail.
ure Of transportation facilities to grow
with the country, Mr.. Hoover contin.
ued:
II instant energy, courage and large
Wis on in the owne should prove lack.
ing in meeting the immediate situation
we II be faced with reaction that
Will drive the country to some other
form of control. Enegretic enlarge
ment of equipment, better service, Co
operations with employees and the least
possible advance in rates together with
freedom from political interests will
be the sea es upon which the public
will we gh the results"
Mr. Hoove. said that while with the
ailroads government ineff c;ency could
be passed on to the consume, ION the
seas we will sooner or later find it
translated to the national treasury"
The speaker asserted that as govern.
men officials could not engage in mig
Cling in fixing ra Is they must take
refuge in rigid regulat on and in fixed
ates. The effect of our large feet"
he said, in the worlds market Is thus
TO, hold up rates, for so long as this
great fleet in one hand holds q fixed
rate others will only barely under bid.
If we hold up rates and increasing mum
ber Of our sh ps will be idle as the pri-
vate fleet grow. We shall yet be faced
W tn the quest on of demoboliz ng
part of this fleet into pri-
vate hands, o frankly acknowledging
that we operate for other reason than
interest on our investment. sE}
The problem of the relationship
between the employer and employe
was scussed by Mr.. Hoover. He -
asserted that the country had until
recently greatly neglected the hu-S
man factor that is SO large an ele-
ment in our p oduct vity and that
this neglect had accumulated much
of the discomfort and unrest through
out the industrial population and
had reacted in decree of produc-
ton.
81 am daily impressed" he said,
with the fact that there is but one
way out, and that is to again re-
establish through organized repre-
sentat on that personal. co operation
between employee and employee In
production that was binding force
when our industries were smaller.
The attitude of refusal to partici-
pate in collective bargaining with
of the employees own
choosing Is the negation Of this
bridge to better relationship" Mr..
Hoover declared that he was con-
V need that the vast majo ity of
American labor fundamentally
wishes TO cooperate in production
and that this basis of good will can
be organized and the vitality Of pro-
duction recreated."
In brief reference to the interna-
t'onal situation he declared that the
safety of European civilization was
hanging by slender thread" and
that America was faced with a new
o ientation to world problems.
1--WE are today contemplating" he
sad, maintenance Of an enlarged
army and navy in preparedness for
further upheavals while failing to even
provide some insurance against war
by league to promote peace"