The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-06-21
4 POLITICS AND DIPLOMACY
VERSUS BUSINESS

/ hat railroad management degenerated into
game of politics and diplou y is, in effect, the
inclusion reached by The Chicago Journal Of Com
nerce in the first Of a series of editorials on the
present distressing general railroad situation. Of
|ourse it is an undisputed fact that politics and
nIomacy will ruin almost any business but this
Especially true where that particular business is
ealy part and pare of Inc public life en-
ering into the very fcuu, Of our prosperity or
yaAlversty. AS things az =. the problem of
railroad transportation has t:1ome toy for the
amusement or worry of politicians. The politician
holds the whip over the investing public with the
thrdat that if certain things are not done, certain
star dards of wage or Of practice not followed
ruin is sure 10 come. The public forgets that their
private investment in any railroad in this country
is dependent entirely on the stability of govern
mental institutions. If confidence goes glimmer-
ing then stocks and bonds and notes are not worth
the paper they are written on. If our government
is stable, financially sound and determined to fol-
-Slow the constitution, then the whole situation
changes, there comes that spirit of cooperation
the part of all the people and feeling of safety
that acting in unison. there be no loss, de-
feat. The telegram is reproducing these editorials
by personal courtesy of the writer who is known
to be thoroughly loyal to his country and imbued
with desire to do only that which shall be in
the best interests of all the people. There are
some points upon which we do not agree but, in
the main, the situation seems to be fairly stated
although the famous comment of Mark Twain
about the weather comes to mind. Everybody talks
about it, said he. "'but nobody DOES anything
about it. Judging from events that about
to happen there will soon be something DOING
on the part Of the general public who are tired of
seeing the rag doll pounded and tossed about as a
plaything. Here is the Chicago Journal of Com
MERGE article:
Herbert Hoover. testifying before the Inter
state Commerce Commission February 4, 1922,
made the very serious statement that unless the rail-
reads start-not eventually, but now-enlarging
and improving transportation machine, certain
things must happen He did not say may happen
he said must happen And what are these GER
tain things that we must face at the first peep of
prosperity? Inconvenience in getting satisfactory
sleeping Car space! - rev Gays delay IN reCelV-
ing shipments? Oh, no, nothing so simple. The
forecast is for factories all over the United States
with full order books and empty work benches,
closed for lack CT cars; advances CT ST. to So a
ton en- coal. Premium # 20 cents bushel for
cars in which to lead Grain. The bitter hardships
of unemployment. Complete industrial strangula-
ton.
Nov, the business men Of America know that
Hoover is not given to loose talk; and further, that
he knows what he is talking al ut. They know that
the conditions he forecasts Id mean panc-a
panic bringing far more serious consequences to
every line of business in this country than any
thing we have seen. These men are credited with
world leadership in initiative and result-gettng
abilities when cnce aroused to the imperative need
of quick and effective action. What, then, are
they actually doing to rec. this threatened dis
aster9 The astoundin1 hat they are sitting
idly by, while three COL interests conduct a
long-winded debate on tie 90 position Resolved.
that the other fellow should pay the BILL
GENERAL ALARM SOUNDED
Threatened with conaagration, a general alarm