The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-11-20

Abundance Of authority for the
statement that the railroad problem
Us probably the most serious one be-
fore the American people today.
Aside from the controversy over
the railroad labor board, the i'm
mediate manifestation OF difficulty
is the car shortage which exists,
particularly in the western part Of
the country. The American Rail-
way association estimates a short
age OF between 10000 and 100000
cars. Of all sorts, and the railroad
executives say that there 10 no
remedy for this shortage which can
be applied now. The country must
get through the emergency the best
way it can, taking such losses Is
are unavoidable and possessing IT.
self in patience until permanent
solution can be found.
The American transportation
system runs quite smoothly in fair
weather when traffic il not too
heavy and when there are no alb
normal difficulties in the way. Just
as soon rs something untoward
happens. however, it gets all
cramped and tied up like a man
with a bad case Of rheumatism. I'm
fortunately the comparison ends
there for in the case of the victim
Of rheumatism he is the only one
who suffers, but when the railroads
get in condition such that they can
not function normally everybody
suffers.
Instead of taking a temporary
measure with a rusty elbow, the
rheumatic patient, il he is wise
takes treatment for the rheumatism
in his whole system. He attempts
to eliminate the basic trouble. II
is becoming plain that instead OF
attempting temporary expedients
with recurring railroad troubles
congress must proceed to a thor
ough treatment which will better
the whole transportation machine.
In all probability an extra SEES
sion of congress will be called aftel
the 4th of March, 1928, which will
be devoted largely to the railroad
j problem. This will mean that
series of hearings will be conducted
to obtain the best available advice
on what legislation should be en-.
acted. Following this, genera
Transportation bill will be framed
and threshed out in congress.
/ Senator LaFollette, author of thu
railroad valuation act, is expected
to take a leading part in this pro
gram. and railway presidents shud
der when they think about what h
may do. The Wisconsin Statesman
has made it clear that in his judg
ment the troubles of the railroads
are due primarily to over-capitali
cation and financial mismanage
ment, and the men whom he re
CARDS as responsible will get any
thing but sympathetic treatment a
This hands. He is regarded as in
degree the spokesman for labor ant
1T is possible he may lead the figh
for the abolition of the raifroa'
labor board which Samuel Gomper
has said the American Federation
of Labor is determined to make
Senator Cummins. as chairman o
the committee on interstate COM
merce, is another who will be ex
ceedingiy active in shaping an,
railroad legislation that may b
enacted. The Iowa senator is re
garded as more sympathetic towar
railroad management than his col
league from the Badger state. .
Railroad Extensions Inadequate.
> The United States and its rail
road system may be likened to
growing boy and his clothes. TIL
clothes must be constantly en-
larged to keep up with the boy
growth or they wear thin in i'm
. portant places and bind the free
dom of his limbs. Before the wa
about $500 miles of railroad wer
. built each year. This was the en-
largement necessary to keep u
with the growing population an
commercial activity of the natiol
When the war came, railroad builo
ing stopped and since that tim
there has been practically no ne
gain in mileage or facilities
. fact, in some sections many mile
of railroad were torn up. Thel
was a period when the war was {
its height and cost Of operatio
, bore disproportionate relation
ship to rates Of transportation
, when some small companies abar
!, doned operation and tore up the
rails. selling them for junk. Th
steel value was higher than tt
. track value.
|. The same is true of railroa
, equipment. The cars and loc'
!, motives necessary to handle Il
traffic offered were insufficien
These things cost money and II
railroads did not have the funds