The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-09
CURB MANAGERS OR lose CONTROL
OF ROADS warn S LEADING EXPERT
President Of Security Owners Association Asks Congess
for New legislation Does Not Blame Railway Employees
But Puts Blame SquaTeIy Up to Executives.

WASHINGTON, July 7.-1nve stors
in railroad securities have as little
faith in the ability and disposition
Of managers to solve the transporter
ton problem as has that large Sec
ton of the public whose only inter-
est is that there shall be more, bet
ter and cheaper service. S. Davies
Warfield president of the Association
of Owners of Railway Securities, made
that plain when he appeared before
Senator Cummins' committee on in
terstate commerce to tell what he
thought should be done with the rail-
roads.
The elaborate and complicated de-
Tense set up by a succession OF ex-
ecutives and so-called experts who
had passed in review before Senator
Cummins was brushed aside by Mr..
Warfield as apparently being entitled
to no consideration. g..
He didn't blame the workers for
very strong inference he put the re-
sponsibility squarely up to the exec
utives themselves.
1T has been made apparent" he
said, that the country cannot look
to a thousand or so executives Of
railroads, nearly 200 representing the
great systems, to reach agreements
and conclusions among themselves re-
specting the coordination Of facilities
and service and the introduction of
economies to the extent essential to
guarantee the most economical adj
ministration and methods of Transport
tation under the system that is at
present observed"
Private Ownership Failing.
Unless existing conditions are rec
ognized and relieved. Mr.. Warfield
declared, transportation under pri-
vate operation must fall
The railroad problem, as Mr.. War;
field sees it, is entirely financial. I'm
less the arrangements recognize that
the precipitate, far-rea ching read
lustment now experienced has PRO-
duced conditions that demand the
strlctest economy and the oblitera-
ton of old-time prejudices," he con-
sidered it very likely that it would
be necessary to raise money by tax
alton to give the public and shippers
ample and adequate facilities at rea-
sonable rates.
That, he said, means governm ent
operation and perhaps eventual SOW
eminent ownership.
This is not the worse thing that
might happen to the railroads, Mr.
Narfield assured the committee.
If the interests Of the owners o.
the securities Of these properties, anG
VINO are largely expected to continue
to finance Them" he said, were alone
to be considered, it would be far bet
ter, in default of the means to re-
lleve these conditions. to see the prop
critics taken over by the government
aid paid for under fair methods O.
determining their value rather thar
that there should be a continuation
of the existing unsatisfactory condi
TONS"
Cold Comfort for Managers.
The burden Of Mr.. Warfield's state
ment was that railroad operation i
archaic, inefficient, extravagant am
perhaps worse. Railroad officials wht
preceded him got cold comfort from
MS general statement. which he EN-
phaslzed when members Of the com
m1ttee ventured to ask questions
He said that the hearings so IA,
nave dealt with the testimony of tn,
railroads and will deal with that O
eallroad employees or their represent
at''es. between these two elements,