The Glenwood post., 1920-06-19
Current Events For the Children
and Grown-ups, Too
THE COST OF LIVING AND
A PEEvIsH PRESIDENT

"Now / can't 60 down the river
this week. Gee, it makes me sore -
1t was Jack talking to his sister, as
they were coming up the front steps
in the late afternoon. They had just
been to the freight office and found
that because the freight cars were tied
up, the new canoe Uncle Ted had
bought them had not arrived and no
one could tell them when it might
come.
''Willie Jones, whose father is an
engineer on the railroad, says it s all
because the roads were turned back
to private control. He says that if
the government had kept running them
everything would have been fine
this being Ruth's solution of the mat,
ter.
"Look here, you kiddies,'' called
Uncle Ted from the other end of the
front porch, "don't blame the private
ownership of the railroads for the fact
that your canoe hasn't come and that
freight cars are tied up everywhere
Since you seem to have nothing to do.
come over here and I'll tell you some
thing about it.
"'In the first place there are lot
of people interested in seeing the rail
roads 20 back to government control
who are spreading all kinds of stories
about how terrible the roads are since
they were turned back to private
ownership. For example, Interstate
Commerce Commissioner Woolley re.
Gently made statement which, if not
studied, 10 more than mislead ng.
IISpeaking of the close of federal con
.rol, The breakdown in service start
ed almost Immediately OF course,
anyone reading this statement would
think right away, Just as you think
about your canoe, that the return of
the roads to private control is rcspon-
sihe for the poor service, at least so
far as freight is concerned There are
several things the people of this coun-
try must remember before they blame
private control.
'First of all, when William Gibbs
McAdoo. who is trying hard to be the
next president, took charge of the rail
roads as Director General for the gov
eminent, many of the railroads had
millions of dollars in their treasures.
but after the government control was
completed this money was all gone.
Another thing that worked against the
railroads was the fact that during the
period the government ran the roads
the equipment was allowed to run
creased there was no attempt to in
crease the number of terminals or
switches. Everyone will remember
that almost at the same time the roads
were turned back to their owners a
large number of the railroad workmen
went on strike"
con, | remember that said Jack.
''It looked as though many cities
would be without food, and cars Were
tied mp everywhere"
eyes, that's right said Uncle
Ted ''you see the Democratic Ad-
miuistratIon in Washington that was
running the roads had been able to get
: these workmen to promise to put of
thcir strike. telling them that if they
would the high cost of living woull
he reduced. But instead of bringing
down the high cost of living the Ad-
ministration has done things that keep
it going mp.
Now, ! am not trying to excuse
the men who went on strike. The
strike was not justifiable, but when
YOU come right down to it, the real
reason for the strike was the fact that
the Administration broke its promise.
There certainly is one thing sure, that
as soon as Mr. McAdoo made q mess
of the Job of running the roads he got
out of the Job in hurry and started
making moving pictures for Charlie
( Chaplin and Mary Pckford because
they gave him more money. When Mr..
Hines came into the job he messed
the Job lust as bad, following the poll