The Washington herald., 1921-04-01
WILLARD REVIEWS
ROAD CONDITIONS
ATANNUALDIllNER
Private Ownership and
Operation Trial Still
On, He Declares.
SHOULD BE SUCCESS
Expresses Confidence in Labor
Provision of Transportation
Act; Lauds Congress.

NEW YORK, March 31.-Review-
ing the railroad situation in an ad-
dress at the annual dinner of the
Railway Business Association to-
night. Daniel willard. president Of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company. said. in part:
we ought not to minimize the
importance of the labor problem
in its relation to the railroad ques-
ton as a whole. In no country In
the world do the people make such
great use Of the steam railroads as
do the people in the United States.
This Is clearly indicated by the off,
cial records, which show that in the
United States the steam railroads
move upon the average more than
1000 tons one mile per annum for
each man. woman and child in our
/, entire country. while the latest fg-
ures available show that the rail-
roads in Europe move. -on the aver
age. something less than 600 tons
per capita per annum.
Governing Influences
The greater use made of the rail-
roads by the people in this country
Is of course Influenced largely by
the fact that our country is of great
extent and Is rich in natural re-
sources-mineral. agricultural and
marine-and II has come about that
in the City OF New York, as an ex-
ample. the flour used. 1 take it, is
made largely from wheat grown in
Minnesota and North Dakota The
beef which is eaten here was per-
haps bred in Texas, developed in
Wyoming. fattened in Iowa and
slaughtered in Chicago.
In short. II has generally been
found advantageous. because more
economical. to procure our -four,
meats, minerals, forest products,
etc, where they can be produced or
obtained at the lowest initial cost.
and then transport them, largely by
rail, to the point of ultimate con-
sumption, the entire transportation
cost being much less than the differ
ence in initial cost of production in
different parts of the country.
with this in mind 1t is manifest
ly.Jmportant that there should be
Of service by the rail-
roads in a country such as ours. and
one Of the important problems be-
fore Congress was to insure IL pos
sfble continuity of service. by guard
ing against the interruption of the
service, by any Observation-Disclosures
and disputes which might possibly
arise between the railroad manag-
ers and their employees
Labor Provision. O.
In fact, Congress in the trans
portation act. has created for this
particular purpose a special labor
- -
as the Supreme Court of the United
States, appointed in the same way.
that Is to say, by the President and
confirmed by the Senate, and has
given the board or court status
and dignity in keeping with its i'm
portance- The law says that-it shall
be the duty of the board to estab-
lish rates Of pay and standards Of
working conditions which, in the
opinion of the board, shall be just
and reasonable.
Some Criticism Voiced.
while some criticism has been
voiced against the labor provision
of the act, not only by the employees,
but by the employers as well, am
still hopeful that this feature of the
act will eventually prove to be wise
and satisfactory, and IL the other
features OF the new legislation work
out as II was the intention and be-
lief of Congress- that they would
work out. then think Congress has
made private ownership and opera
tion of the railroads in this country
possible, but whether private own
ership and operation of the. rail-
roads misunderstanding been made
possible-depends largely II not
wholly upon whether the railroads
under private ownership and opera
tion are able to give and do give the
public satisfactory service.
'As I. view the matter, private
ownership and operation of the rail-
roads Is still on trial in this coun-
try. but it has everything in its IA
vor and IL ought to win, and I be-
lieve II will win II the managers,
measured by the service which they
give the public, deserve to win.
"Since the termination of Federal