The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1921-02-09

iunket that travelled fast enough to i
get him home before any positive an
nouncennent was made as to who /
would be his successor.
The best minds in Washington are
agreed that the development OF an
American merchant marine furnishes
the only solution that can be brought |
to bear in solving this great problem
Of our foreign trade. A big start was |
made during the war, but the emer- |
gencies that came with fighting left /
the same trail of waste in the story
of Shipping that is found in every |
phase of war activities. The result I
is that the shipping board has become /!
a sort Of football, and everyone that |
has wanted to start something, takes |
q kick at it; whereas there is doubt |
less no peace-time agency that could
absorb more permanent benefits If |
given constructive help, than the ship !
ping board Just what the fate of |
this government bureau will be is
hard to determine. But given proper
support our merchant marine doubt
less solves all of our problems Of
foreign trade.
Proud of His Enemies
Postmaster General Burleson admits
his unpopularity 81 believe it to be
true that l have more enemies and
have been more generally denounced
than any of the Others" he says. at
has not, however, robbed me of my
serenity of mind or spoiled either my
disposition or my appetite. You see
know who my enemies are, how
made them, and why, and the rea-
sons are satisfactory to me-" In the
list of these enemies Mr.. Burleson
! places the express companies, the
| railroads and the newspapers and
magazines. In his mind. they are a
bad LOT and even though it may be a
fact that they all reciprocate the kind
of sentiment that Mr.. Bureleson OK
presses and are as non-lovable rs the
Texas politician, still the reasons for
the differences may be entirely dis
tinct Mr.. Burleson asserts that mail
is now being delivered to six million
more people in the country and five
million more in the cities than eight
years ago, and that there is '1ess
waste, less fraud and less politics now
than ever before"
Mr.. Burleson's proud enemies as
sert that in taking over the wire lines
of the country, after the war was over
he did so for the sole purpose Of foist
ing government ownership on the Uni
ted States, because it was a pet hob
by of his-and not a national neces
sity Students of the parcel posts sys
TEN say that in the matter of the
carriage of small packages that the
express companies still have the mos
profitable end Of the business while
: Burleson absorbed the improbable
end. Just what solace the most un
popular man" finds in his attempts tC
hold up the newspapers and magazine:
of the country and make their publish
ers pay unnecessarily high rates, he
does not explain.
After all, Mr.. Burleson's principa
unpopularity is doubtless due to the
fact that he cared more to create a
surplus in earnings for the post0ffict
department than he did to promote
the welfare of the thousands of meI
whose wage he sought to keep below
the actual cost of living. He failed
in both instances.
A National Referendum
The referendum just concluded BY
the chamber of commerce of the Uni
ted States covering the question O
local transportation throughout the
country has produced 1859 votes, cas-
by local chambers of commerce anf
boards Of trade throughout the coun
try in the affirmative, on the ques
ton: Existing traction facnitie:
should be conserved" There are NJ
negative votes. The same results at
tends the vote on the following ques
ton: "sThe attitude now taken to
wards street railway problems shouIr
be based upon the present and future
needs of the community" Private own
ership with regulation that vii
promptly follow changes in the situa
tion," with provision against unfai
competition, as well as relief from "a
burdens unrelated to the service" ar
Overwhelmingly favored. The refere
dunn also declared in favor OF definit
official responsibility for the "applics
ton of regulation" as well as for tn
availability to the public at all time
of "the facts as to the results Of opeI
ation,' and for resident responsible
executives wholly eonversant with l,
cal requirements"
These referendums, in which tn
trade bodies of the country have bee
participating, are interesting ina
much as they show disposition I
deal with absolute fairness with tn
public utilities Of the country. TIL
political situation has also cleared
self materially, and the policy of civ
and let live" appears to govern I'll
attitude Of members of the federal a
ministration, in and out Of congress