Daily Kennebec journal., 1922-06-19

greatly swell expenditures and still
further increase the indicated deficit"
Imposition of additional taxes, Mr..
Gilbert declared. would be "a Nation
al calamity" adding that "if there
were persistence in any program of
expenditures beyond the limits of the
Governments income there would be
10 other course open to restore the
Laance."
1t would not be possible to hold tax
reductions effected the present fiscal
year, Mr.. Gilbert said, unless all
hands unite to keep Government ex-
penses down to the minimum and to
avoid all manner Of useless and extra
VACANT expenditure"
Edward w. Wheeler
The address of Hon. Edward w.
Wheeler of Brunswick proved of pc
culiar interest to the Maine men. Mr..
Wheeler dewitt with the problem of
the railroad. and his lucid summary
of conditions in New England held
the closest attention Of his auditors.
His address follows:
Hon. Edward w. Wheeler of Bruns-
wick discussed the railroad situation,
speaking as follows: ~
In recent newspaper notice Of this
meeting, the announcement is made
that l am to discuss the whole rail-
road situation in all its pha ses.' l
do not need to assure YOU that shall
not attempt such an ambitious un-
dertaking. I shall only discuss a few
OF the transportation problems of
Maine and New England While |
have very recently become connected
with the Maine Central Railroad,
do not appear as the representative
or that corporation. What | shall say
to you will be wholly personal and
unofficial Last year it was my priv
llese to serve as chairman of a COM
mittee appointed by the governor to
consider the rate situation on the
railroads of New England in con-
junction with similar committees ap-
pointed by the governors of the 9TH
er New England states, and l have
served this spring as chairman of a
committee Of stockholders Of t''e
Maine Central appointed to consider
and report upon the genera railroad
| situation. The views which l shall
express TO you have been formed
while serving in those capacities.
The history Of our American rail-
roads. like ancient Gaul, is divided
into three parts. The first period was
that of practically unrestricted pri-
vate control followed gradually by
limited public regulation. During this
period our American railroads
reached their greatest development
and maximum efficiency. Low freight
rates and pc ssenser fares. including
! Il two cent mileage, We're in effect;
| frequent and fast train service was
provided and superior transportation
accommodations and facilities We're
enjoyed.
Then followed the period of COM
| plete government operation with all
| OF the incidents of government own
ership. During this period the de-
! mandS of the war, of course, had pri-
mary consideration. While justifiable
as an emergency measure in the con-
! duct of the war. the result from a
railroad standpoint was most unfor-
|
! things, the loss of discipline and
morale.
The decentralization of the railroads
as result of government operation
, is heritage of the war. The losses
! which the owners of railroad Secu-
rites and the public generally have
! sustained from this cause must be
accepted without complain. or crit
| icism as a part of their contribution
to their country's cause.
After the war the same reasons
that justified certain action during
the war no longer obtained, and the
! country began to grow restless un-
der the conditions which existed
| They missed the service and atten-
tion to which they had become ac-
customed; they became alarmed at
the growing cost to the government
! of the railroad machine; they became
convinced that the old system gave
them better results than the new AS
a consequence Congress enacted the
| Transportation Act of 1920 and we
entered the third period of our rail-
road history. that of private opera
ton and responsibility with extern
sivc public control and drastic regu-
lation Under the present arrange
! ment the railroad mana gements have
| little freedom of actiO their rates
are established. their o. nings are
limited, their services are specified
their operating conditicas are pre-
scribed and the wages Of their en-
! ployes, constituting 50 per cent of all
Il /, q
the government.
None of us would are to return to
the conditions of 80 or more wears
ago. with the personal favoritism,
free passes, rebates and discrimina- =
ton among persons and localities and
other abuses which made necessary
some measure Of public { htrol nor
would We resume government opera
ton with its political influence, in
! efficiency and waste.
We are all convinced that a sound
railroad policy requires some degree
of competition, with ivate initiative
and mana. ment and with Il sufIi-
cient regulation by agencies of the
, government to safeguard the interest
| OF the general public without unncc-
essary restrictions or interference. 4
limited public control is necessary by
reason Of the quasi publ and mon
/ opolistic character of the enterprise
/ and to prevent abuses incident to
unrestricted private control.
The present transportation act
should have n full and fair trial be-
fore it is condemned or substantially
altered, but some of the restrictions
land regulations now impOSe1 and