The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1922-06-09
WHAT SAVING A., 3. a. A. MEANS
TO RICH PORTION OF GEORGIA

Langley, OI Rome, makes few Oh
servations in The News, of that city,
in which he meets the issue fairly and
squarely, and its perusal is well worth
| while.
Mr.. Langley pays particular atten-
ton to the following from the Ogle-
thorpe Echo and the Commerce OBJ
server:
We are at loss to know what the
advocates of the purchase of the A..
B. & A. railroad see of advantage to
the state in the proposition. Lack of
business has caused its financial fail
ure. How can state ownership create
more business for it?-Oglethorpe
Echo.
Labor unions are the strongest ad-
vocates of State ownership of the
A., B. & A. People who think know
why the unions favor the suggestion"
The Rome attorney, why by the way
IS one OF the brightest members of
the newspaper fraternity in Georgia,
very pertinently replies to the above
! on this very important subject
| Among other things, Mr. Langley asks
as well as answers some questions
relative to this movement to save the
A, B. & A. from the junk heap He
says:
THE erudite editor of the Com
MERGE Observer can do me, and no
doubt many others, a valuable service
If he or she will kindly state specifical-
| ly what People who think know why
unions favor the suggestion" KNOW.
| am a seeker of information on the
subject and if that mysterious body
| herein described as People who
Think will take me in on their in
side knowledge that | may be further
enlightened l will certainly appreciate
it.
| " 1 think a little sometimes myself
not deeply or brilliantly, of course
but seriously, as that. have thought
a good deal about the State buying
the A, B. & A. railroad and not one
thought has occurred TO me why the
labor unions should want it done.
THE paragraph quoted from the
Oglethorpe Echo would indicate that.
the editor OF that paper is looking at
| the proposed A., B. & A. property pur-
chase by the State from an economic
standpoint-and that is the proper
| way to view it. The impression the
comment of the Commerce Observer
makes on my mind is that the writer
has been persuaded by some one to
treat it as a political question; and
this is not only unfortunate, but
wrong.
When the territory penetrated by
| the A, B. & A. was still in the infancy
of development and the traffic volume
was much les sthan it is now under
normal conditions, that railroad earn
ed its expenses and a little better.
The war interrupted its growth and
steady stride to prosperous existence
For some strategic reason the labor
unions made it a buffer in their fight
with the railroads over wages and 9TH
er issues throughout the union. Since
the beginning of its war troubles the
A, b. & A. has had the Devils own
time from any angle you look at it.
But the A., B. & A. is today a sound |
business proposition and a good in |
vestment opportunity for the State OF |
Georgia, or anybody else. 1t needs |
only surcease from artificial troubles
and malicious prejudice and interior
ence-and uninterrupted operation I'M
der wise management and a little |
working capital
Has the editor of the Oglethorpe
Echo considered that if the A., B. &
A. should be junked, the State loss in
tax values as result would cover all
possible deficits in it's operating ex-
penses for the next ten years? Has
| he thought of the tremendous losses
the Georgians would suffer in its ter
ritory from the closing down of indus
tries for lack of transportation facil-
| tiles and because their products coult
not stand the increased cost of deliy
cry to other shipping points? Has he
considered the damaging consequent
ces in that territory to agricultural OPP
erations, commerce, community life,
schools, churches and social inter
| course?
/ las the able Oglethorpe editor
seems to have discussed the subject
dispassionately and seriously as an
economic proposition, let him withhold
final judgment until he figures awhile
over the items of property values and
business fluctuations just set out.
THE suggestion made by the Com
merce Observer that the labor unions
would like to see the A., B. & A. pur-
chased by the State as an entering
wedge to State ownership and opera
| ton of railroads is without merit or