Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-02-03
NJ 'AD0O URGES
UN|F|ED ROADS
Their F orner u. S.Head
Says Operation Could
Be Cut Greatly.

Washington, Feb. 2-The cost. Of
operation of the nations railroads
could be reduced enormously and eff
cheney greatly Increased by q we'll
directed and unified system of opera
ton under private control, William G.
McAdoo, wartime director general of
railroads. declared in continuation of
his testimony in the Interstate Com
merce commission railroad inquiry.
Declaring there is no competition al
present between the railroads in either
freight rates or passenger fares. which
are established by government author
ity, Mr.. McAdoo said the only pos
sible competition at present was in
service.
THE public has paid high price
for alleged competition" Mr.. McAdoo
declared, asserting that ''its alleged
advantages to the public are largely
mythical
Great advantage would have been
obtained. in Mr.. McAdoo's judgment.
had the railroads been retained under
federal control for trial period of
five years to enable the government
to obtain accurate data as TO the
actual needs in the way of betterment.
maintenance and operating cost. and
the advantages to the public of re-
moving what Mr.. McAdoo denounced
as the unnecessary and expensive rec
ognition of the properties according to
their individual ownership.
U. S. Didn't Ruin Roads
The charge of certain railroad exc
cutives that the government ruined
the railroads in groundless,. William G.
McAdoo, former secretary of the treas
ury and war time director general Of
railroads, told the senate interstate
commerce committee Thursday IN con-
cluding his testimony in its inquiry in
to the transportation situation.
THE indisputable fact is that the
government saved time he declared
adding that government operation gave
the public improved service and saved
millions of dollars in Transportation
costs"
Summarizing his testimony, he as
serted he had shown that ''the appal-
ling transportation crisis at the time
federal control was inaugurated.
forced. as, a vital military and econo-
mic necessity. the taking over of the
railroads. that that federal control
alone could save the situation
and did save it,, and that congestion
was broken, railroad lines were co
national machine and the required
amount Of transportation to meet mill
tary needs : I" (" was supplied
No great industry was .'ever more
generously treated by the government"
he said, declaring that during federal
control it had assumed all risks of op
GRAFTON, protected bond and stock
holders during the war. transformed
the properties from "a menace to pub
lie safety" in January. 1918, as stated
by the Interstate commerce commits
sion. into IAN efficient machine, had
stabilized railroad labor and, dur
ing the period Of control, had gnaran
teed the roads an annual rental OF
5000, 600, 900 or Sits, 900, 600 more than
Chairman Cummins. of the committee
had said they were entitled to receive.
In addition, he said, the carriers were
given a basis for rate making which
assured them, with return of nor
nal conditions, nm annual income Of
81, 1884, 600 or $20O, 100000 more
than the government rental and were
guaranteed against losses for six
months after return of the properties
to private control.