Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-05-20
TRAFFIC LINES
FUTURE BRIGHT
WILLARD STATES
Baltimore & Ohio President
Predicts That the Roads
viii Be Successful Under
Private Ownership.

nv MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LsAsso wiFE'
New York, May 19,-Cpnfidence
in the future successful. operation
of the railroads of the United states
under private ownership control
was expressed by Daniel Willard,
president of the Baltimore ana
Ohio Railroad company, in an ad-
dress he delivered here today be-
fore the National Association OF
Manufacturers. If the new rail-
road law is applied as congress in
tended and if the railway man
ayers so operate the properties as
to fairly meet the requirements
and expectations of the public, ne
said, I'VE may reasonably expect
that private ownership ana opera
ton of the railroads as an econom-
ic policy will continue in this coun-
try. If private ownership should
fail the only alternative | am able
to see is government ownership ana
operation, with all that the pollcy
implies. Railway managers must
for a time at least keep constantly
in mind that private ownership Is
on trial and they must be deter
mined that it shall win. They must
study the needs Of the public for
TRANSPORTATION and make every rea-
sonable effort to satisfy them. They
must treat all alike and without
discrimination
RepCats Recommendation.
Mr.. Willard repeated his recon-
mendation made to the council OF
national defense in 1917 that "a
nation should have national
transportation system and such q
system should embrace and make
proper use of all available and suit
able agencies" lie added that IN
his opinion, this recommendation
which he made as a war measure Is
equally pertinent and important
in time of peace.
I'VE are fortunate in actually
having in this country the essential
elements of such national system
of transportation as have IN
mind" said Mr.. Willard. "There
should, in the public interest, be
the fullest cooperation between
the several transportation agencies
and in all cases that agency should
| be preferred which can render the
required service at the lowest tota
economic cost. If this policy is fol
| lowed | feel confident of the future
success of private ownership ant
operation of the railroads"
Having described the difficulties
| of the railroads in obtaining fund:
| necessary for improvements, eX
! tensions and equipment which h'
| said had been estimated at from
100000, 900 to $1,000, 0OO,O0O
year, Mr.. Willard said congress by
enacting the Esch- Cummins bill
| had corrected the poorly contrivet
system of regulation which brough
about a sickly condition of tn
railroads" but that the patient u
still weak and unable to stant
Ialone." Personally, he said, he wa
in favor of the government namin!
the rate of return upon the value Q
the properties which the railroad
!shal be permitted to earn, but h
declared that the railroads mus
he self-supporting before they cal
be expected to show signs of re
Inewcd Vigor.
First of ALL" declared Mr., vii
lard, the railroad rates AM
charges must be 50 adjusted as t
measurably meet the increase
operating costs resulting from con
ditions created by the war. Con
gress has given definite instruction
that this be promptly done. Afte
that he said it would remain for tn
railway managers to 80 deal wit
the problem as to satisfy the reason
able requirements of the pubic
People in this country" he wen
on. "in the past have had the CHEAP
est transportation in the world
think they are entitled to it in tn
future; at any rate | believe tina
under private ownership they wi
have it. They are also entitled
: adequate transportation and Their
is an imperative obligation upo
, the carriers to furnish it. made
iquate transportation facilities woul
: check production and tend to II
crease the cost of living
Mr. Willard predicted that strike
upon the railroads would becon
less and less frequent as time WEI
; on since, in his opinion, congre'
: had provided a definite and worl
; able arrangements that should 81
cure justice to the railway worl
linen.
THE public" said President Wi
: lard, lis entitled to expect an uni
i terrupted operation of railw5
e properties. believe the railwS
I managers and the employees will
: able satisfactorily to solve this Oh
bor) problem. Perhaps, not imm
= diately, but within a reasonab
near future. If not, then to II
mind, it will be the clear duty
congress to pass some kind of
law that will make the stoppage
railway trains because of labor di
lputes, impossible" ...