The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1921-03-11
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP
OR CHAOS-WHICH?


when the battle is over if labor accepts
the challenge? These are perilous
times in which we are living today.
Great consequences hinge on events
and deeds which are subject of ban
ter on the streets and are discussed as
light and freely wherever men con-
gregate.
In Russia the Whites" the coun-
ter-revolutionists, are. making the final
desperate effort to overthrow the Boil
shevik dictatorship of the proletar-
lat and to substitute ordinary re-
publicanism or at least socialism,
for the prevailing communistic scheme
OF things. In America the powers that
be in the world of industry and COM
merce are preparing to wage with re-
newed vigor the battle that the Rtis-
sian autocrats fought and won hun
dreds OF years ago, only to lose it
with their lives and all their possessions
during the last few years.
How long will the Public permit
this unceasng economic war to con-
tinue between Labor and Capitol?
How much longer is it necessary that
men, and mems wives and mems chill
dren VIII have to go hungry during
periods OF strikes in order to enforce
payment Of decent wage?
One of three things MUST even
tually result out of the present scheme
OF things. The money masters will
continue to gain power until in Amer
lea is established scheme of things
similar to that in Russia before the
revolution; the labor unions will con-
tinue to gain power until they become
supreme, or the organized people. the
government, will assert power and its
supremacy over any group and will
take over, own and operate the rail-
roads for the benefit of all the people
AMI every group.
Should the first possibility become A
fact United States will see a period
OF years similar to that before the
French and the Russian revolutions.
Such condition can only result only
as IT resulted in France and Russia. in
a period Of red terror followed by a
slow climbing out OF the slough, OF
Revolution and economic upheayal
Il would mean stopping the course oil
progress for several hundred year.
only to resume it again published
but no wiser race.
Should the second possibility be
come fact we would have a social
istic America in which all the allie,
benefits and all the alleged hurts Incl
dent to socialism would become effec
tive. America would never become a
Russia IS said to be today for the sim
pie reason that Americans are not lik
Russians and the American laborin
man, trained in self-control and san
initiative by generations of compare
tive freedom from oppression wouldn
make as many mistakes as the untrain
ed, unenlightened Russian laborin
man has made. He would not becom
so tacile tool in the hands of one o
a few strong minds because he has
mind of his own that he has learned t
be. But it is not our purpose here t,
discuss socialism.
Should the third possibility becom
fact, the railroads would be takel
over by the government through tn
simple process of issuing government
bonds to replace railroad stocks an,
bonds on basis determined by tn
proportion between the true value an,
the capitalized value of each raiIroa,
company, The railroads would be Cd
Grated IN a way generally similar t
the federal reserve banks, with cen
trail board and director at Washing
ton and regional boards and director
at central points throughout tn
United States. Wages and rate
would would be adjusted the natio
over to the best advantage of the use
OF railway service and of railway labol
1t wage reductions became necessar
they would be made on all lines $
that living costs would be immediate
iy effected. Competition would ceas
and IT would be possible for lines {
road IN thickly populated industri;
centers where there is much shippin
to make up for the losses on lines i
new sections which those lines are de
veloping, as the A. B. and A. in Sout
Georgia. The railroads would be un
der the control of the people throug
the power of Congress and the pres
dent, who are elected by all the pee
pie. to change the laws under whic
the directing boards would operate til
railroads.
Eventually we must come to
choice of one of those three cond
lions. Until that time constant wa
will be waged between labor and cap
tol with the public always footing til
bill The private owners of the raj
roads want to make money and wi
continue to want tosmake as muc
money as possible with the railroad
as long as they have them. That
human nature Iii order to make NOR