White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1923-12-09

soon as pOsSlDle, TO pr1vRte OWnerSnlp
and operation under conditions which
would secure two results. First, and
W prime Importance, adequate means
Tor national defense second, ADEQUATE
kervics to American commerce.. Until
Whipping conditions hre such that our
Eaeet can be disposed of adyanta!
Ige6dsly under these conditions, 1t Will
be operated as economically as pos.
Islble Under such plans as may be ad,
Ix1sed from time to time by the ship,
tplhR board. We must have a merchant
marine which meets these require
ltaents, and we shall have to pay the
coat of Its service.
Public improvements.
The time has come to resume In q
moderate way the opening Of our In
trncoastal waterways; the control OF
food waters Of the Mississippi and
OF the Colorado rivers; the improve,
fnent of the waterways from the
Great Lakes toward the Gulf Of Mex
leo; and the development OF the
great power and navigation project Of
the IT. Lawrence river, for which eff
forts are now being made to secure
the necessary treaty with Canada.
These projects cannot all be under
taken at once, but all should have the
immediate consideration of the con-
gress and be adopted as fast as plans
can be matured and the necessary
funds become available. This Is not
incompatible with economy, for their
nature does not require 80 much a
public expenditure as a capital invest
inent which will be reproductive, as,
evidenced by the marked increase In
revenue from the Panama canal. Upon
these projects depend much future In
dustrial and agricultural progress.
They represent the protection Of large
areas from flood and the addition Of a
great amount of cheap power and
cheap freight by use Of navigation,
chief Of which Is the bringing of ocean
going ships to the Great Lakes.
Another problem of allied character
Is the superpower development Of the
northeastern states, consideration of
which Is proceeding under the direc-
ton of the Department of Commerce
by Joint conference with the local au-
thorities.
Railroads.
Criticism Of the railroad law has
been directed, first, to the section lay
ing down the rule by which rates are
fixed, and providing for payment to
the government and use of excess
~n.of~-1, eanopd ~ TIM rnnthnd for
the adjustment Of wage scales; n
third, to the authority permitting con-
solicitations.
It has been enormously assumed
that the act undertakes to guarantee
railroad earnings. The law requires
that rates should be just and reason
able. That has always been the rule
under which rates have been fixed.
To make a rate that does not yield a
fair return results In c~onfscation, and
c%on1scatory rates are of course uncon-
stitutional. Unless the government
adheres to the rule Of making a rate
that will yield a fair return. 1t must
abandon rnte making altogether. The
new and important feature OF that
part of the law is the recapture and
redistribution Of excess rates. The
constitutionality Of this method Is now
before the Supreme court for ad1udi-
cation. Their decision should be
awaited before attempting further leg
islation on this subject. Furthermore,
the importance Of this feature will not
be great If consolidation goes Into
effect.
The settlement Of railroad labor dis
putes Is a matter of grave public con-
Germ. The labor board was estab-
lished to protect the public In the en-
joyment of continuous service by at
tempting to insure justice between the
companies and their employees. 1t has
been a great help, but is not alto
gether satisfactory to the public. the
employees, or the companies. II a
substantial agreement al be reached
among the groups interested, there
| should be no hesitation In enacting
such agreement into law. If 1t Is not
reached, the labor board may very
well be left for the present to protect
the public welfare.
law TOT COuSOlludtioio 40 SUM
| clently effective to be expeditions. Ad-
dltional legislation is needed giving
authority for voluntary consultations,
both regional and route, and provid-
ing government machinery to aid n
stimulate such action, always subject
to the approval of the interstate COM
merce commission. This should au-
thorize the commission to appoint COM
mittees for each proposed group, rep
r~esenting the public and the compo-
nent roads, with power to negotiate
with individual security holders for
an exchange of their securities for
those of the consolidation on such
terms and conditions as the commits
sion may prescribe for avoiding any
confscation and preserving fair val
ues. Should this permissive consolida-
ton prove Ineffective after a limited
period, the authority Of the govern
ment will have to be directly invoked.
Consolidation appears to be the only