Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-16
ELISHA LEE TAKES
OPTIMISTIC VIEW OF
RAILROADS. FUTURE

Continued from page
81 have never. as yet. rad or heard
what seemed to me a satisfactory ex-
PLANTATION OF this apparent anomaly.
Personally l think II can only be in
terrrcted as remarkable testimony
TO the fundamental soundness of our
country which should he n favorable
sugury for a prompt and complete re-
covcry. In addition. l am inclined TO
think that the wage carncrs OF the
country must have saved out OF their
wartime earnings more than has
usually been supposed. 30 that basical-
ly the situation may no. be rs dark
as Il Is customarily painted.
Nevertheless, trade in general is
everywhere very dull and no one can
deny that IL this condition We're to con-
tinus too long a great deal or very
deep seated harm must result. There
fore. we are all watching for the turn
ing Of the tide.
"Thcrc can he no real return Of
prosperity until there is a resumption
ot effective demand for goods and COM
inodtics.--of buying power that will
measure up much more adequately
than AT present to the productive ca
p@city OF our industries. mines and
farms. The start must be made some
where.
Re Fair TO tho Railroads.
The key 10 tho situation ! believe
will be found In a general realization
OF the truth that our railroads must
lead the nation hack TO prosperity. II
this is true. II follows that the coun-
try must accord them q full and fair
opportunity so TO do.
The United States Is moro depend
ent upon its railroads than any other
nation in the world. The Importance OF
that truth cane hardly be exaggerated
A writer IN one Of our most widely
read publications has quite justly
termed the United States an expert
ment in transportation
Europe. with It's deeply indenteG
coastllne and innumera BILE bays. es-
tuariee and rivers. was populated and
civilized by water transportation. The
United States has fairly regular
coast line: no great arms OF the ses
go very far inland. and comparative
~ few rivers, considering the extent
az our territory. are naturally navlga
bic for great distances. There are i'm.
mense areas. thousands OF squar,
miles IN extent. containing great cities
Industries and vast agricultural re
glons. which are hundreds OF mil,.
from navigah wf.cr.
our country presents the first IN
stance in the WUl4G history of a vas
population settling the interior Of .
the highest and most complex form o
civilization. which. Tor its continuance
is absolutely dependent upon railroa,
transportation.
Take away our railroads, and with
IN life time the g~at interior basin
between the Alleghanies and tn
Rockies-now one OF the most import
ant industrial and agricultural region
in the world-wovld largely revert Z
tho condition ot prairie and forest @
hundred years ago.
Australia is ;n somewhat that con
dition. larger than the United States
and possessing immense areas OF ara
bic land. Its settlement IS alrnoS
wholly confined 20 little fringe OF
the scsccset. chiefly because unforru
nate political labor conditions hav
made impossible, the construction O
adequate systems O, railroad !n the in
terror.
The United States With only So O
the worlds population, and a little owe
BE OF its land area, has 4Oeo OF IN
worlds mileage. This Is the secret G
our success and Of our wonderful de
velop1nent In the last three generation.
Hardly more need be said in supper
az the view that without proeperol
railroads the nation itself cannot pros
per. FOR they are the very arteries {
It's Me. But let me call attention 10
few figures which seem 10 me very sis
nlficant.
The railroads OF this country en-
ploy "a the present time about l
$4,000 workers whose wages are SO
oeo.ooo,000 a year. With their familis
they account for probably 5000. OC
people. directly supported by the raj
road payrolls. Indirectly. as great pun
chaser. OF fuel and other supplies. N
railroads furnish support and emplo,
ment 10 a great many other people.
have never seen an authoritative G:
innate OF their numbers. but it is {
least possible 70 make a rough CUES
-Nbintdllg our rdllrOaQs spend som,
where in the neighborhood OF $4,000
100000 a year for fuel. material
equipment. etc, Most OF this none
ultimately finds its way into wage
and quite possible supports upward
100000 workers families, or So
another 100000 or 5000 900 person
altogether. Add these 70 the 5000. OF
directly dependent on the raalroa
payrolls. and we have total OF u
o0O. 900 or more OF our population Ii,
ing on the expenditures OF the raj
roads.
ITO complete the survey we shou
have 20 allow for the many thou
Rnds OF men who. with their familie
are ordinarily supported through en-
ployment by contractors upon u
great railroad engineering and col
struction projects which are now vi
fortunately at a standstill. We shou
have TO allow also for the fact tn
II the railroads were normally bu.
they would have on their payrol
several hundred thousand more han,
than at present.
Railroads support Millions.
Indeed. n we could get az all II