Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-05-02
UNCLE SANS OBLIGATION TO
RAILROADS

The report OF tne JoiHt So'Sihoi"
committee to consider the proposition
Of the railroad heads to increase
freight and passenger rates in New
England has been disapproved on the
ground that it had not been shown
the proposed advance would remedy
the situation. 1t does find, however,
that a remedy is needed; the the FED
cral government has not kept its word
and returned the roads in as good
condition as when it took them over:
that the wage scale needs changing;
that the Interstate Commerce Com
mission has duties pertaining to the
problem; that rates are at the peak;
that New England should not be con-
sdered a distinct district for rate
making purposes.
With regard to the province of the
Interstate Commerce Commission 1t
is interesting in this connection to
consider what Otto Fl. Kahn had to
say before the Pittsburg Traffic Club,
Thursday evening.
IN the days antedating the Taft
administration, under which the func-
lions of the Interstate Commerce
Commission received their fundamen-
tai and radical enlargement, there
were, it is true, certain abuses in
railroad practices which called for
redress, certain delinquencies which
demanded safeguards against repeti-
ton, but there was also the Ameri-
can spirit of progress and daring en-
terprise, there was vision. there was
incentive to venturing and risking.
Great pioneers like Huntington and
Hill, men Of constructive genius like
Hartman, saw and found in the
building, acquiring, consolidating and
managing of railroads, a vast field
for their splendid capacities. They
did mighty work. True, they reaped
RICH rewards, but the wealth they re-
ceived was but trifling fraction of
the wealth their genius created for
the people.
And now? Nine governmental ap-
pointees sitting in Washington hold
almost absolute powers, together
with a wage board sitting in Chicago
tnot to mention numerous State
Commissioner over the railroads of
the country. Practically nothing of
any importance can be done without
a hearing before them and without
their approval Initia tive has been
blunted, vision deadened, daring rem
dered impossible, decision removed,
the qualities of leadership dispos-
sessed, men of commanding ability
discouraged from entering the rail-
road field.
A large part of the time the
thoughts and the energies of the
Chief Executives of railroads is given
to appearing and arguing before Com
missions. The routine of bureaucracy
and the trial court have been sub
stituted for individual brain work,
energy and action a simply in
credible mass Of paperwork and sta
ustical data Of all kinds. has taken
the place of the few small sheets of
essential data which Hill and Harri-
man used to carry around in their
pockets
No wonder that the number of
railway clerks has increased from
$4,000 in 1895, to 223,S3O in 1919, and
their compensation has increased
from $2s,516,00O in 1895, to $307,375,-
900 in 1919.
| venture to hope-though I know
IT is to be a rather daring hope-that
out of the investigation which will
shortly be inaugurated by Senator
Cummins' committee into the railroad
situation, there will come recogni-
ton that regulation and control have
gone too far, and that more scope
must again be allowed to the old
American method of personal initia-
tive. enterprise and responsibility, if
the railroads are to be enabled to give
the fullest and best measure of serv-
ice to the people. OF course, the prin-
ciple of supervision and regulation Of
railroads in the public interest abs
come to stay"