The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-25
TOPEKA STzTE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC ). HAsKIN. Direcpsr.
Warrington. D. Q.
CONGRESS AND. THE RAILROADS

IS abundance or authority 1or the
statement that the railroad problem is
probably - most serious one before
the American people today.
Aside from the controversy over the
railroad labor board. the immediate
manifestation of difficulty is the car
shortage which exists, particularly in
the western part of the country. The
American Railway association esti-
mates a shortage of between 10000
and 200,0 900 cars of all sorts, and the
railroad executives say that there is
no remedy for this shortage which
can be applied now. The country must
get thru the emergency the best way
it can, taking such losses as are un-
avoidable and possessing itself in pa
thence until permanent solution can
be found.
The American Transportation sys-
Item runs quite smoothly in fair
weather when traffic is not too heavy
and when there are no abnormal diff
something untoward happens, how
ever, it gets all cramped and tied up
like a man with bad case of rheu-
nlatism. Unfortunately the compari-
son ends there for in the case of the
victim of rheumatism he is the only
one who suffers. but when the rail-
roads get in condition such that they
cannot function normally everybody
suffers.
Instead of taking a temporary meas
matte patient, if he is wise, takes
treatment f0r the rheumatism in his
whole system. He attempts to eIimi-
nate the basic trouble. 1t is becom-
ing plain that instead Of attempting
temp expedients with recurring
railroad troubles. congress must pro-
coed to a thoro treatment which will
better the whole transportation ma
chine.
In all probability an extra session
of congress will be called after the
fourth of March. 1928, which will be
devoted largely to the railroad prob
lem. This will mean that a series of
hearings will be conducted to obtain
the best available advice on what Leg
islation should be enacted. Following
this. a general transportation bill will
be framed and threshed out in con-
gress-
Senator LaFollette, author of the
railroad valuation act. is expected to
take a leading part in this program.
and railway presidents shudder when
they think about what he may do.
The Wisconsin statesman has made it
clear that in his Judgment the trou-
bleS of the railroads. are due pri-
marily to apitaliZation and fl
nancial acknowledgement, and the men
whom he regardS\as responsible will
get anything but sympathetic treat
ment at his hands. He is regarded
as in degree the spokesman for la
bor and it is possible he may lead the
Tabor board which Samuel Gompers
has said the American Federation of
Labor is determined to make SEN
ator Cummins as chairman of the
committee on interstate commerce, is
another who will be exceed6gly ac-
tive in shaping any railroad legisla-
ton that may be enacted. The Iowa
senator is regarded as more sympa-
thetic toward railroad management
than his colleague from the Badger
state f'
Railroad Extensions Inadequate.
The United States and its railroad
system may be likened to a growing
boy and lis clothes The clothes
must be-constantly enlarged to keep
up with the boys growth or they
wear thin in important places and
bind the freedom of his limbs Be
fore the war about 1850 miles of
railroad were built each year. This
was the enlargement necessary to
keep up with the growing population
and commercial activity of the nation.
When the war came, railroad build
ing stopped and since that time there
has been practically no net gain in
mileage or facilities. In fact, in some
sections many miles of railroad were
torn up. There was a period when
the war was at its height ana cost of
operation bore disproportionate re-
lationship to rates Of transportation,
when some small companies ADAM
doned operation and tore up theiI
rails. selling them for junk. The steel
value was higher than the track
value.
The same is true of railroad equip
ment. The cars and LOGON olives nee
essary to handle the traffic offered
were insufficient. These things cost
money and the railroads did not have
the funds to make the necessary ex-
penditures. Not only were the addi-
tions to equipment" few; existing cars
and locomotives were permitted to de-
teriorate.
Good progress was being made in
catching up, when the shopmen's
strike came last summer assailing
the railroads in a vulnerable place.
Once more, \they were set back
Terminal facilities constitute an
other important angle of the prob
lem Industry in the United States
has a tendency to center about great
cities. Everybody tries to crowd in
together. This means that tens of
thousands of cars of freight, are all
being shipped to the same places ST
simultaneously. The inevitable result
is congestion. The railroads claim
that they have lacked the funds to
During the war such funds were
not available. The Liberty bonds put
out by the treasury to finance the war
took all the cash the people had.
There was nothing left to invest in
railroad bonds. Labor costs rose so
high that even with the increased
freight rates, the cost of operating
some railroads was in excess of the
amounts collected in freight rates and
fares.
These are Just few of the ailments
of the transportation system. 1t is
said by some students of the situation,
that the vast sum OF S2,0OO,OOO,OOO
a year should be expended for from
five to ten years on the American
railroads to bring them up abreast of
the Industrial development of the
country. Whatever the total amount,
it is certain that immense sums must
be made available for a period of
years in any comprehensive plan OF
rehabilitation.