The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-28
Declares Federal Control in
War Period Did Not Bring
About Present Condition as
President Harding Asserted.
Sees No Other Course Open
FEELS CONGRESS MUST
SEEK TO SOLVE ISSUE
Admitting Waste of Poll
ticians, Official Claims Gov
eminent Ownership Would
Be Less Expensive to Public
Than Present Private System

PHILADELPHIA; Jan. 81.
Senator James Couzens of Michi-
gan, who, before he went to the
Senate, attracted wide attention as
administrator of Detroit's munich
pally controlled street car system,
told the Philadelphia Real Estate
board tonight that although he had
IAN open mind" on the railroad
problem, it appeared to him that
government ownership of the roads
furnished ''the only solution"
Making his first prepared public
address since he was appointed SEN
ator, Mr.. Couzens declared that
certainly the nations transporta-
ton under government ownership
would not be "any more expensive
to the public than it now is" AL
though a republican, he said, he
could not agree that government
operation during the war was mis-
take, nor had he found any proof of
President Harding's recent state
ment that government control had
brought about the present unsatis-
factory situation.
Has Open Mind
Il have an entirely open mind
as to the solution of the railroad
L.,
because 1 have not heard any one
say that the railroads are not a
problem. Everywhere. from every
section of the country the govern
/ ment is being urged to do come
thing in connection with the rail-
road problem. 1t Is the duty of
Congress to endeavor to solve it,
because there is no other agency to
do 1t.
personally / should prefer that
the government did not have to take
over the railroads, but we have not
found any effective solution and
therefore, it looks to me as though
government ownership was the only
solution. This does not necessarily
mean government operation, because
If the railroads could properly ex-
pand and~ develop and the govern
ment could control by regulation of
the management, we might be able
to get along without undue inter-
ference of politicians.
Il would like to point out how
ever, that there are many orse
interferences than the interferences
of politicians.
Claims Bankers Interfere
te f..to -.
bankers who must get their ,-ake-
off, regardless of public service or
the treatment of the men who oper-
ate the railroads. Then you know
every manufacturers organization or
organization OF other groups i'm
mediately jump into fight any raise
in rates or the adoption of any rule
or regulation which in any way af-
fects their business. Every one
wants the railroads to succeed at
somebody else's expense.
Let me say to you that the gov
eminent can waste considerable
money through inefficiency and
politics, and yet produce service to
the public in many activities at a
less cost than can be done by private
Industries that are not in the lime-
light, and that have SO many ways
of covering up their cost through
high salaries. extra compensation to
directors, the purchasing of supplies
from industries in which the direc-
tors are interested, and from the
'rake-offs' paid to the bankers who
finance them"
Senator Couzens read statement
be had issued sometime ago, quot
+ ing President Harding's declaration
In his message to Congress that
government operation does not af-
ford the cure, and continued:
silent Upon Ownership
~ note that he is silent on the
subject of government ownership
Perhaps the President would agree
that that would affect the cure. The
President says it was government
operation that brought us to the
very order of things against which
we now rebel. and we are still
liqudating the cost of that supreme
folly. but / note the absence of proof
to sustain that conclusion.
1T is not my intention to com.
ment on the governments handling
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