The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-02-19
Government Operations Are
Only Experiments In
Wartime Socialism
CAN'T APPROACH
PRIVATE CONTROL
Human Factor In Industrial Activities
too Much Neglected-Should Be Co.
operation Between Employe and EN-
rIover-Good Will ~yeeded.

NEW YORK, Feb l9.-The return of
the railroads to private ownership on
March | will mean the placing OF private
on its final trial" in the opin-
ion of Herbert Hoover, expressed IN
his inaugural address as president OF
the American Institute of Mining Engl-
necrs. At the same time Mr.. Hoover at
tackled government operation of either
railroads or shipping as experiments IN
socialism necessitated by the war" to
which there were many fundamental OBJ
iections.
NO scheme of political appointment,
Mr.. Hoover said, has ever vet been de-
vised that will replace competition IN
its selection of ability and character.
Both shipping and railways have today
the advantage of many skilled person
mel. sifted out in a hard school of com
petition and even then the government
operation Of these enterprises is not prov
ing satisfactory. Therefore, the ultimate
inefficiency that would arise from the
deadening paralysis of bureaucracy has
not yet had full opportunity for develop
ment. Already we can show that no
government under pressure OF ever pres
ent political or sectional interests can
properly conduct the risks of extension
and improvement or can be free from To-
cal pressure to conduct unwarranted serv
ices in industrial enterprise.
After referring to the handicaps inn
posed upon business through the failure
Of transportation facilities to grow with
the country, Mr.. Hoover said: The re-
turn of the railways to the owners places
prcdominantly private operation upon its
final trial. If instant energy. courage and
large vision in the owners should prove
lacking in meeting the immediate situa-
ton we will be faced with reaction that
will drive the country to some other form
of control Energetic enlargement of
equipment. better service, cooperation
with employees and the least possible aid
vance in rates together with freedom
from political interests will be the scales
upon which the public viii weigh the re-
suits"
Turning to the question of shipping
Mr.. Hoover said that while with the
be passed on to the consumer. ION the
seas we will sooner or later find it trans
lated to the national treasury The
speaker asserted that as government of
| fcials could not engage in "higgling il
| fixing rates" they must take refuge il
| rigid regulation and in fixed rates The
effect OF our large fleet" he went on, IN
| the worlds market is thus to hold III
rates, for. so long as this great fleet il
one hand holds fixed rate others viii
only barely underbid. If we hold NJ
rates an increasing number of our ship,
will be idle as the private fleets grow
We shall yet be placed with the question
of demobilizing a considerable part o
this fleet into private hands or frankly
acknowledge that we operate for othe1
reasons than interest on our investment.
The problem of the relationship be
tween the employer and employee wa
next discussed by Mr. Hoover III
asserted that the country had until re
Gently greatly neglected the human fac
tor that is so large an element in on
productivity and that this neglect ha
. accumulated much of the discomfort an
unrest throughout the industrial popuIa
ton and had reacted in decrease of pro
duction.
Il am daily impressed" he said, wit
the fact that there is but one way on
and that is again to re-establsh throug
organized representation that personal &C
operation between employer and en-
ploye in production that was bindin
force when our industries wei
smaller 80 The attitude of refusal t
participate in collective bargaining wit
representatives of the employees ow
choosing is the negation of this bridge t
better relationship
Mr.. Hoover declared that he was COZ
WINGED that the vast majority of Amer
can labor fundamentally wishes to G