The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-03-10
The Railroads Come Back
From the War.

There was general rejoicing" says
the New York Times Nnd. Dem.) when
the American people woke up 10 find
the railpads Of the country restored
10 private ownership" For although, as
the Albany Argus lind. Dem) remarks.
government control was instituted as
war measure" nevertheless there
was once a widespread belief that 1t
could be advantageously continued But
the excessive cost and the mediocre
service convinced the people that a re-
sential"
Yet we are warned not to expect too
sudden reversal OF form. Govern
ment control was an eXDeriement" de-
clares the Milwaukee journal Gnd).
nut so in sense will be private con-
troll under the terms of the new legis-
lation, and the San Antonio Light
tlnd) adds: ~
There are still many people who be-
lieVe IN government ownership. despite
the adverse record of government OBJ
Grafton since 1917. Their contention is
that government operation was not Civ
en- conclusive trial, because war con-
dltlons imposed handicaps which the
government could not overcome--han-
dicaps they say, which would have
been much larger if the roads had re
manned under private operation"
But the sentiment against continued
federal control has been overwheim-
ing, says the Fort Worth Star-Tele-
gram Qnd. Dem), and with this view
great majority of the press agrees.
spirit on the part of the railway per-
sonnet thinks the Philadelphia Public
Ledger Qnd), and they will hope for
gradual increase of those facilities
which have been painfully and conspic-
uously lacking during the regime of
government control The San Fran
cisco Chronicle Qnd.) likewise believes
that 1T 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 disregarded both by
congress and by the president. The
Wheeling Intelligencer (RepD. believes,
however that this opposition did not
come from consideration for the inter
ests of working men" but from the
primary consideration of personal in
terests of leaders" because under the
bill ''unorganized labor will have the
same right to bring its grievances be-
fore the labor board as organized labor
will have" This Campaign sWaged by
labor leaders," thinks the Mobile Reg
lister CDem), gained more supporters
to the measure than were frightened
lIolii support Vi II, lot, DIS tne Milne
apolis Journal (Ind. Rep) points out,
this country will not permit labor to
run it as a class proposition"
In addition to the so-called anti
strike" provisions Of the bill, which,
as the Duluth Herald Gnd) shows,
merely forbid strikes until the issue.
has been /adjudicated in the manner
public" labor also objected to the
guarantee" of 5i2 per cent earnings
to the aroads. But, says the Chicago
Daily News Qnd), 1.-THE term guar
antee' is a missioner, . 49,. No obliga-
ton is assumed by the government in
ly constitute an order to the interstate
commerce commission to allow rates
that will yield, on the average the
minimum return" 1t is noted too, by
the Knoxville Sentinel (Ind. Dem.) that
if these rates yield in excess Of 6 per
cent to the strong roads, the surplus
earnings ARE to be divided equally be-
tween each carriers reserve fund and
the general federal railroad contingent
fund" and that 1.-THE government does
not guarantee any of them the profit
if they fail to earn it,"
But the real cause of labor hostility,
the Detroit Free Press Qnd.) thinks,
was born chiefly of championship for
the Plumb plan and this, as well as
kindred quxoticisms'' declares the
Atlanta Journal Dem.) was weak
with congress and weaker still with
the country" The Spokane Spokesman
Review 0nd Rep) likewise rejoices
that congress is y overwhelmingly
against that artful scheme to have the
government buy the roads and pass
them over to \ the employees for their
exploitation"
Yet there have been advantages in
government operation The Harrisburg
Patriot Qnd DEM asserts that it was
the roads themselves that urged gov
eminent operation Ito be saved from
bankruptcy" and by running all the
lines as one ssytem," the Manchester
Mirror Dem) submits, the govern
ment has. been able to short-route
freight and to accomplish considerable