The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-06-23

Britain the legislation was man.
datory requiring that by Janu-
airy 1, 1853, the roads should be
consolidated into -four great sys-
tens; here it was permissive,
and, of course, much larger
number of systems is proposed.
The British program has been
carried into effect; there are now
four systems in the country.
While this reorganization has
been in effect only a few months,
it's early results are reported to
justify fully the expectation of
better condition under it. It is
regarded as a long step toward
permanent settlement, on a basis
fair to the owners of the proper
ties, and to the public interest
in good service at the lowest
possible rates.
Roads Starved Out.
Not long ago the Interstate
Commerce Commission actually
granted the necessary authorize
ton to tear up and abandon one
piece of over two hundred and
thirty miles of railroad. 1t was
no frontier line, in an unde-
veloped, uninhabited section: it
was in the rich and populous
State of Illinois. If the spectacle
of a railroad literally starved to
death in such a community IS
alarming, it is yet less a calamity
in some ways than it would be
in region possessing fewer lines
capable. of taking over the public
service.
Three Ways Out.
We are all agreed that to aban-
don any important share of rail-
road mileage is inconceivable. We
can not do 1t because people al
ready dependent On the railroads
would be ruined; and because,
further, in not very distant
future we should he compelled by
the country's development to put
them back, or their equivalent in i.
capacity for service. They must
be saved. There are just three
possible ways to do it:
/. For the Government to take
and operate the weak roads, and
thus bear all the loss without any
of the profits of railroad manage
ment.
2. For the Government to take
into one gigantic pool, and plunge
into the enormous responsibility
thus incurred. In the present
state of the Public Treasury and
of tax burdens, and in the light
of recent sad experience with
Government management, this is
not to be considered I believe it
would be politically, socially, and
oFnnnn7innl1U diCo ofr011c
3. The plan of consolidation
already outlined, bringing econo.
mics in operation, financial Stabil.
ity, ability to secure needed cap,
ital, adjusting rates and regula-
tions to the necessities sof the
position, and preserving the real
advantages of competition in serv-
ice, while avoiding the evils Of
Government ownership.
Among these possibilities there
can be little doubt of the public
preference for the third program.
Prevention of Strikes.
There is no other business, so
far as / know. in which sus-
pension of operations can produce
such disastrous results as in
transportation. The vital i'm
portance of this service has
brought many people to the con-
clusion that it ought to be pos
sible absolutely to forbid and pre-
vent railroad employees from strik-
ing. / do not believe it possible
under our form of government to
compel men to work against
their will. and do not think it
desirable under any form of gov
eminent. say this, fully recol-
lecting my vote in the Senate
in favor of the antistrike pro-
vision Of the railroad act of
1920. 1t was merely a require
ment that before the men should
strike or the employer should
lock them out, both sides should
submit their differences to
properly constituted and impair
tial tribunal.
Personally. have confidence
that the thing is possible.
believe so firmly in the under
lying common sense of both or
Panized industry and organized
labor, and in the fairness toward
both on the part of the great
public on which both of them are
finally dependent. that I believe
at last it will be possible to ar
rive at settlement of industrial
disputes in public services by
such method.
Use of Waterways.
There is another highly import
ant phase of the transportation
problem much worth our atten-
ton. l believe the use Of our in
laHd waterways offers the one
sure way to reduced carrying
charges on basic materials. heavy
cargoes, and farm products. We