Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-12-05
TUESDAY DECEMBER 8. 1922.
GOVERNMENT AND RAILROADS,

NY calls attention 20 one conspicuous
Instance OF government interference
With railroad arrangements, and its
alter uselessness. as we'll as the un-
necessary expense involved. as fol-
ovs:
Halt dozen or more years ago
Congress ordered a physical valua-
tion 20 be made of all railroads.
Part OF the cost OF that monument
til work was To be borne by the
United States government and
part was to be taken from the
railroads themselves.
Nobody seems 10 know how
much Of the task has been accom-
plished. hut everybody knows that
valuation fixed. say in 1915.
would be a misnt today. II would
represent real replacement value
NO more closely than would the
price tag on an overcoat of the
vintage Of 1915 tell you wha; you,
would pay now for an equally
good garment.
Tho trainloads of statistics piled
up by such valuation Of
Americas 2s5 900 miles Of railroad
never can be tabulated and di-
gestvd soon enough 20 be OF any
possible benefit to anybody.
u was a boring-in job conceived
in malice which has already cost
many millions and produced not
a cents worth of real information.
L. political moddlers who foist such
heavy debts upon the country had
90 pay them. no one would COM
plain. hut they know that YOU
and all other taxpayers must foot
the bills for their folly
But this is only one instance Of IN,
.ciiy of government Interference in .
business of which the government
knoWs little. and therefore can rende
Do efficient aid IN advancing the trans
rortation business Of the country. e
essential io the public welfare. Thi
insrfercnce has gone 20 such an ex
tent that railroad arrangements ar
seriously handicapped. and the resul
is seen daily in a general service tha
fans Ear short Of what il should be.
The creation of the Interstate Con
morca Commission undoubtedly wa
Eood move. IN respect Of providin
az adequate tribunal before which a
the issues that naturally arise betwee
railroads and customers could DC full
heard and determined. But the pow
ere az this commission have been s
enlarged that II is now virtually n
dirccting power.
So far as this agency Of the goverI
rleni b. concerned. il might we'll
extended in It's scope as a court
resort. limited. however. 70 the dete
niination of relations between carrie
and customers in the various contr
Vcrsies that are certain 20 arise. al
o. enlarged in membership. or dup
Gated as 90 sit IN various busine
centres and thu. bring its usef
agencies directly into the territory
tho people interested. But It's autho
ny 90 interfere IN active manageme
o. the extent of virtual dictation h
not Yet been attended by satisfacto
results and never viii be.
There is no doubt a crying need
thc railroad situation is a more libei
reform in the direction OF restori
effective management TO the practi
hands of the railroad owners, in Z
Der 90 allow far more latitude in l
scope and detail Of effective operati
than b. now possible. The mana,
ments Of the great railroad In
surely know their business. its ne'
and he detail % operation much b
Ter than airy agency Of governme
subject 20 the vagaries Of politi
manipulation. With railroad mana
nlents handicapped as they long hi
been. especially since the exigen'
az the World War compelled the &
eminent 10 take the roads in char
DO reform In service of any great c
s,quenos may be looked for.