The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-10-01
HoWIT WOULD WORK OUT.

NAL of the right of the third-party adj
herents in those states to express their
preference. There is good reason for
believing that the law in neither case
demanded a decision adverse to the third
party's right to enter the field. This is
pie freely to express themselves at the
polls is fundamental. Any political VIC
tory that is in any degree based on de-
NAL of this right is not proper victory.
The fact that LaFollette would have lit
tie chance in Louisiana is beside the
point, just as the possibility of a consid-
cradle LaFollette vote in California is
beside the point. The real issue is that
the people in those states have right to
complete freedom Of political choice.
Those who sincerely believe in fair
play, fair victory or fair defeat, are will
ing to stake the outcome upon the candi-
dates and their platforms. For example,
there is the LaFollette appeal to labor
on the basis, of naturalization of the
railroads. What is there in that proposal
for labor? Railroad employees might
well ask the postal employees what they
think of Uncle Sam as liberal employer.
The LaFollette campaign management
cites figures to show that in Canada the
National railway system had changed a
deficit of thirty-seven million dollars in
1921 to surplus of more than twenty
millions in 1928. But, as the Springfield
Republican points out, railway statistics
are a maze in which the layman can
easily get lost. In 1921 the Canadian
National railways had an operating def
cit of $16,082,792, while in 1923 they
had an operating surplus of $20,236,56
But in 1928, though paying operating and
maintenance expenses and having $780,
236,564 left over, the system failed by
about $51, 100000 to earn the interest
which the government is obliged to pay
on bonds and other securities" This
sum the taxpayers, including railway en-
ployes, must make up out of their own
pockets.
| The great trouble with government
operation is twofold. In the first place,
there is the element of politics which
grants or rejects a measure, not solely
on it's merits, but also frequently for
quite unrelated reasons. In the second
place, there can be no continuity of
policy, because of the frequent changes
in the political complexion of congress,
which, by reason of its law-making au-
thority, is the real administrator of gov
eminent business undertakings. These
I 70 drawbacks are fatal to economical ad-
ministration. AS a purely business en-
terprise, it is probable that a private con-
Germ properly equipped and differed,
could take over the present postal reve-
nues and operate the postal service with
its present efficiency and still show a
good profit, whereas, the government has
each year tosmake good heavy postal
deficit. The reason why the government
should operate the postal service is be-
cause of the intimate relationship of the
service to the country's pulsations, bust
ness, SOCIAL and, commercial: Also the
government got into this field at time
when no other agency would undertake
this essential service.
An example of how congress may fail
a public undertaking in an emergency is
given by The Republican as follows:
Walker ID. Hines, who succeeded Mr..
McAdoo as director-general, held the
good will of employees, and was regarded
as friendly to organized labor. MIR.
Hines has lately urged railroad men to
consider whether from their own point
of view they are not likely to be better
off under private management with exist
ing government supervision.
Mr.. Hines goes to the root of the mat
ter when he cites the refusal of congress
to appropriate the $750,000O0O, which
he, as tor-general sought in March,
1919, for general railroad expenses. AT
any time some vital appropriation might
be defeated for purely political purposes
and might greatly embarrass railway
operation and the interests of the en-
ployes" He recalls how, with his large
measure of wartime authority, for which
there would be no parallel in normal
times, he granted an increase in pay to
train and engine employees although it
was not covered by an appropriation.
Mr.. Hines points out that the con-
cessions which were made to employees
during the war period would not be du-
plicated under normal conditions. Usual
methods of government business were
then set aside. In the long run he be-
lieves that the government would pay
lower wages to employees than they would
receive from private arrangements and
he notes the difficult complications en-
countered this year by those interested
in obtaining increased compensation for
postoffice employees, which he believes to
be just and desirable.
There would be no benefit to anyone
lin naturalization of the railroads I'M
less matters should come to such an ex-
tremity that the government would have
to operate them to keep them going and
to protect the public welfare. That is an
emergency which does not now threaten.
AHDC EEDCTCON WING EIRCT RnITT