Evening star., 1921-04-12
train, government operation in

StFdiH, government OpoT0tiVu ia
heedlessness of cost, and the con-
f1icting programs, or the lack OF
them. for restoration have brought
about most difficult situation.
made doubly difficult by the low
tide of business. All are so inti-
mately related that no improve
ment will be permanent until the
railways are operated efficiently at
a cost within that which the traffic
can bear.
Congress has no sanction for gov
ernment ownership. that Congress
does not levy taxes upon the peo-
pie to cover deficits 'in a service
which should be self-sustaining,
there will be an avowed founda-
tion on which to rebuild.
F'reight-carrying charges have,
mounted higher and higher until
commerce is halted and production
discouraged. Railway rates and
costs of operation must be reduced.
Asks Congress to Inquire.
Congress may well investigate
and let the public understand
wherein our system and the fed
eral regulations are lacking in
helpfulness or hindering in re-
strictions. The remaining obsta-
cles which are the heritance OF
capitalistic explorations must be
rorooyo5 oDd lohor must ioin man.
agement in understanding that the
public which pays is the pubilc
to be served, and simple Jus 1cS is
the right and will continue TO be
the right OF ali the people.
Transportation over the highways
is little less important, but the
problems relate to construction and
development, and deserve your
most earnest attention, because We
are laying foundation for long
time to come, and the creation is
very difficult to visualize in it's
great possibilities.
The highways are not only feed
ers to the railroads and afford re-
lief from their local burdens, they
are actually lines Of motor traffic
in interstate commerce. They are
the smaller arteries of the larger
portion of our commerce. and the
motor car has become an indis-
pensable instrument in our politi-
cal, social and industrial life:
There iS in hiph.
way construction, the outlay for
which runs far into hundreds of
millions of dollars. Bond issues by
road districts, counties, and states
mount to enormous figures. and the
country is facing such an outlay
that it is vital that every effort
shall be directed against wasted ef-
fort and unjustifiable expenditure.
No Inhibition on states.
The federal government can place
no inhibition on the expenditure
in the. several states; but, since
Congress has embarked upon
policy of assisting the states in
highway improvement. wisely, be
lieve. it can assert a wholly be-
coming inf1uepce in shaping policy.
With the principle of federal par
ticipation acceptably established.
probably never to be abandoned, it
is important to exert federal in
fiuence in developing comprehen-
sive plans looking toetfre promotion
of commerce, and apply our expen-
diture in the .surest way to- guar
antee a public return for money ex-
pended.
Large federal outlay demands a
federal voice in the program Of ex-
Penditure. Congress cannot justi-
fy- mere gift from the federal
purse: to the several states, to be
prorated among counties for road
betterment. Such a course will in
vite abuses which it were better
to guard against in the beginning.
The laws governing federal aid
should be amended and strength
ened. The federal agency of ad-
ministration should be elevated to
the importance and vested with au-
thority comparable to the work be-
fore IL. And Congress ought to
prescribe conditions to federal ap-
propriations which will Decessitate
a consistent program OF uniform
ity which will justify the federal
outlay.
know Of nothing more shocking
than the millions Of public funds
wasted in improved highways,
wasted because there is no policy
of maintenance. The. neglect is
not universal. but il is very near it.
There is nothing the Congress can
do more effectively to end this
shocking waste than condition all
federal aid or provisions for main
tenance. Highways. no matter
how generous the outlay for con-
struction, cannot be maintained
without patrol and constant repair.
Such conditions insisted upon in
the grant of federal aid will safe
guard the public which pays and
guard the federal government
against political abuses. which
tend to defeat the very purposes
for which we authorize federal
expenditure.
Water transportation.
Tirked with rail md highway ia