Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-16
ELISHA LEE TAKES
| OPTIMISTIC VIEW OF
RAILROADS FUTURE
Pennsylvania Railroad Vice.
President Spoke Hopefully
to Rotarians Today.
GREAT NATIONAL FACTOR

An optimistic view OF the future
cf the railroads Of the United States
was taken by Elisha Lee, vice-presi-
dent Of the Pennsylvania, In an ad-
dress before the Rotary Club OF Will
ming;on nj the Hotel du Pont at noon
today Mr.. Lee IL considered ono OF
the best informed railroad men IN the
country. He formerly lived in VIII
minston. hut In now located in Phil
adelphia. his headquarters being at
Broad street station.
The Board of Directors made a pro-
test 20 the international body against
. plan 20 divide Delaware into sepa-
rate units which would place Whining
ton In one unit and Dover in another.
The protest was unanimously endorsed
by the club. 1t was announced that
the annual election OF officers will be
held April 20. A primary election will
be he'd next Thursday. The attenda nee
today was IS per cent. Among the
prominent guests from this city and
vicinity today were the following:
Harry Isabcock, passenger trainmas-
Ger Cd the Pennsylvania Railroad:
George II, Schroyer division operator:
w. +. Miller. division engineer: Y. II.
Roe. supervisor agent; ". p. Dunbar,
representing the divisional freight
agent; \. T.. Buchanan. assistant pas
senger agent at Philadelphia; James
Euckelew, superintendent of the
Maryland Division: j. ". Rooney,
chief clerk 10 the general superintend-
ent. L. q. Roaley. chief clerk to the
superintendent Of the Maryland dl-
vision John c. Riu. freight train mas
ter; II. A. Dempsey. cashier Whining
ton freight office: \. c. Smith, chief
clerk. Wilmington freight office; c..
r. Martin. agent. perryville, Md. {. y.
Allen. agent. Marcus Hook.
II am very happy indeed" Mr.. Lee
said. TO have this opportunity OF re-
newing my friendship with so many
Of the business men OF Wilmington
AS many OF you Will recall. / was
stationed here for two years. from
1914 to 1916 as general superintendent
of the Grand Division Of the Penn
sylvania Railroad System which lies
between Philadelphia and Washing
ton, and for which Wilmington is the
operating headquarters. The cordial
relationships. both personal and Of
ficial. established during that period
with the business men OF this city and
OF the state Of, Delaware. form some
OF the happiest recollect,ons OF my
railroad life. and Y always look back
upon my residence here with pleasure
Nnd satisfaction.
Rotary Clubs. l understand. are
made ur altogether Of men actively
80 IT, n -
a necessary qualification for mem
hership. The question all business
men are asking today is. when are
good times coming back?
1T occurred TO me that nothing
could say would be more likely 10 in
terest you than an attempt TO out
line. in necessarily brief and very
general way. some thoughts upon the
relationship of the railroads. and the
railroad problem. 70 this very import
ant question OF restoring normal trade
conditions in our country.
We are living in a very remarkable
and interesting period which TO the
student OF business conditions pre-
sentx come curious aspects. For in
stance. we have experienced and are
experiencing collapse in consuming
power and trade activity which is
probably OF unprecedented severity.
We have had. and are having a good
many business failures. We read of
many men being out OF work. Every
one Of us has personal knowledge
Of certain lines OF trade in which ac-
tivity is al very low ebb.
ss were conspicuous features OF pre-
vious periods Of depression which at
trsc,ed far less comment and atten-
tion than the present one. The ele-
ment OF personal privation seems
happily conspicuous chiefly by its
absence.
Continued on lage :.