Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1920-03-05
Daily
Editorial
Digest
tTitle Appld for U. s. Pat off
Edited by. the Washington
Feature Service
DAVID LAWRENCE, Prest.
THE RAILROADS COME
BACK FROM THE WAR

There was general rejoicing"
says the New York Times (Ind.
DEM when "the American people
woke up to find the railroads of the
country restored to private owner
hip" For although, as the Albany
rgus Qnd. Dem) remarks, govern
ent control was instituted as a war
easure,' nevertheless there was
ice widespread belief that 1t
build be advantageously continued.
But the excessive cost and the meS-
core service convinced the people
4 that a return to private management
was essential"
Yet we are warned not TO expect
too sudden reversal of form. Coy
eminent control was an experiment.
declares the Milwaukee Journal
tlndl, hut so in a sense will be
private eenbol under the terms of
the ueW lesisl2tion," and the san
Antonio Light tlndD adds.
ihafe are Stll many pc 1ple VINO
behc4o IA government ownership, de
-stta he adverse record of govern.
1Gs.t operation since 1917. Their con.
ten ,ca tllIt government operation
2=net slsea q conclusive trial, be
~ - ar conditions imposed han
ts.s W3ieh tne government could
tao' overcome heHdicaps, they say,
=,,p'id haze been much larger
j. ',t' .oa..s had ferlained under pri,
Va operation.
~ the sentiment against contin-
pei Federal control has been over
Nheluirg. says the Fort Worth
StarToteeram CInd DEM, and with
this view great majority Of the
press agrees. The people will look
for different spirit on the part of
the railway personnel, thinks the
Philadelphia Public Ledger QndA.
and they will hope for gradual in
crease of those facilities which have
been painfully and conspicuously
lacking during the regime OF govern
ment control" The San Francisco
Chronicle Qnd) likewise believes
that at is the loss OF little services
and little courtesies which has made
the public operation so unpopular"
The opposition OF organized labor
to the Esch-Cummins bill. passed on
the eve of the restoration of the
roads to their owners, was disregard
ed both by Congress and by the Pres
fdent. The Wheeling Intelligencer
(Rep) believes. however, that this
opposition did not come from con
sideration for the interests of work.
ing men" but from the primary con
sideration of personal interests OF
leaders" because under the bill "un-
organized labor will have the same
right TO bring its grievances before
the labor board as organized labor
will have" This Campaign waged
by labor leaders," thinks the Mobile
Register tDem.), gained more sup
porters to the measure than were
frightened from support OF il" for. as
the Minneapolis Journal Qnd. Rep
points out. this country will not per
nit labor to run IL as a class propo-
sition.
In addition to the so.called anti.
strike provisions OF the bill. which,
as the Duluth Herald end shows.
merely forbid strikes until the issue
bas been adjudicated in the manner
provided by the law, and a report
made public" labor also objected to
the guarantee OF 5l2 per cent earn
ings 10 the roads But. saws the
Chicago Daily News Qnd.l. the
term guarantee is a misnomer.
No obligation is assumed by the goy
eminent in the provisions in ques
iion hey merely constitute an or
Der 10 the Interstate Commerce Com.
mission to allow rates that viii yield
oa tho average tho minimum re.
iitn is noted 400 hy he Knox.
tt-.e t.eel ,td prm that ii