The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-03
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP IS NOT W|SEST I
War Time Federal Railroad Director Addresses Railway Workers At Fiftieth AnniVer- sary At San Francisco SHOULD HAVE RAILROAD REFORM AND REGULATION Defends Governmental 0p-
 eration In 1918, Asserting Private Control Could Not Perform Necessary Task

SAN FRANCISCO. Dec. 2.-Govern- ment ownership is not the wisest solution of the railroad problem, Will liam Gibbs McAdoo. probable can didate for the democratic presiden- tial nomination, declared here Sun day night in comprehensive ad- dress to the Brotherhood of Locomo- tive Fireman and Engineers.
 The transportation problem is the greatest question before the United States today, McAdoo declared
 An earnest effort should be made to secure railroad reform. preserv- ing the principle of private opera tion, but under a more effective fed eral regulation" he said. in offer- ng his solution for what he termed Americas archaic rail system.
 o o O
 Railroad Army Saved Situation.
 Despite MeAdoo,s careful aveis- ance of any political references, thu speech was taken by observers as a bid for support of railroad labor. which already holds him in high re- gard He praised the transportation workers for their services in the World war, and declared. the rail- road army in the United States saYea the situation in Europe"
 The speech was made on the oc- casion of the unions celebration here of it's fiftieth anniversary.
 Private control, MeAdoo asserted could not have performed the tre- mendous task ahead of the American railroads during the war. He presented strong defense for the union men against the charge that they profiteered during the war, and ! presented facts which he declared Are q conclusive refutation of tho | slanderous charges made for sin- ister purposes that railroad labor profiteered during the war or was |. 'debauehed' by increase granted in the war year G91S), particularly."
 Blame for prevailing high freigat and passenger rates was placed by McAdoo directly on the "inefficient wasteful and cumbersome system of operating the railroads of the Cniteh States" adding that many of these abandoned during federal control. but have been resumed under private control"
 Railroads Are Out Of Date.
 The railroads are out of date. Me Adoo believes. They must be mod ernized. The whole transportation system must be brought up to q high standard of physical development and operating efficiency so as to create a properly reciprocating machine in all its parts. The railroad manage ment has been weighed and found wanting
 Evils and abuses of organized pro- raganda were roundly criticized by the former Secretary of the Treasury. specific example of the great perversion of public opinion, he said, is the "falsified propaganda the rail- road executives have conducted against federal control for the past four years"
 why should we not have laws re- quiring such propagandsts to state in the caption of their articles that ,hey have been paid to write them hy the specific interest in whose be- half they are written?" he said.
 Unless some measure to curb these practices IS taken, McAdoo prophe- siedg "a new evil moro dangerous than any development of modern times will menace democracy"