Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-26

some problem Tor Inc southern or
ffcials. as it has been for some other
business men on the south side of the
avenue who have been bought out. or
up. by Uncle Sam. They have
watched Washington develop both as
a gateway and q traffic center.
They know that the number of
Government employees, recruited from
all the States, and with leave that
enables them to visit their homes, will
increase; that the number of tourists.
due to considerable extent to RAJ
road national advertising. who will
visit Washington for it's historic and
educational interests will increase;
that the number of headquarters of
national organizations will increase.
The organizations influence. If not
control, traffic to the national con-
vention held in other cities.
They have seen a large auditorium
constructed in Washington and the
Convention Bureau bring an ever-in-
creasing number of meetings to Wash
ington. They know that the mum.
Der of wealthy people who are MAX
ing Washington their home, that the
number of foreign government Off
Gals and business men who will come
TO Washington will increase and that
these people travel. They know that
larger number of business men are
coming to Washington every month
to consult with the numerous Gov
eminent departments and commits
S1onS and that rlost of the Congress-
men go home for their Christmas va
cation.
The Southern officials have noted
the Atlantic Coast Line, with head
quarters some distance away, at Will
mlngton, n. C., located a general pas
senger agent at Washington since
the war; they have noted the Balti-
more and Ohio and the Pennsylvania,
with headquarters nearby, appoint
ing assistant general passenger agents.
Trust railroad men to note such
moves, whether made by their COM
pet1tors or connections
the Southern officials have noted
at least dozen railroad and steam
ship offices and tourist agencies
opened or reopened in Washington
since the war. The Sunset Route,
part of the Southern system, reopened
Its Washington office November /.
The Southern officials noted the
santa Fe opening soliciting office in
Washington just before the war. The
Office was closed when the Govern
ment took over the operation of the
railroads
The Southern officials, no doubt, as
we'll as the officials of all the other
railroads, are making extra efforts 10
operate the lines efficiently and to the
satisfaction of the public, to discour-
age future attempts at Government
operation. They realize that it is good
policy, In this respect, to furnish very
good service to and from and in Wash
ington.
With the exception of the Canadian
Pacific and the Norfolk and Wester.
otner railroads than the local libss
nave no passenger offices in Uashifs
ton at present. The Seaboard and Yna
coast Line are not, strictly speaking,
local lines, but they operate through
trains over the r., f. & Z. The Ches.
apeake and Ohio operates into Wash
lngton over portion of the Southern
under a long-term lease, so It Is prac-
tically q local line. r.t-t.
The foreign lines. with the excep-
lions noted, have no passenger offices
| nearer than Philadelphia or New York
10 get back to the Southern field
they have noted passenger men from
these Philadelphia and New York Of
noes visiting Washington more fire.
quently and in increasing numbers
Advertising Is Heavier.
They have noted these foreign IinAs
Washington papers. Advertising is
the nag; the permanent office the con-
stltution. And just as the constitution
follows the flag, the permanent of6ce
IoiloWs the advertising, especially
Wnen passenger business is deyelopir1e
as it is in Washington.
The Santa Fe broke the ice before
the war. There is more reason for
that line now, or any number of the
foreign lines getting together as they
90 on such questions and consulting
the local lines on the necessity and
adviSab1lity of opening offices. The
necessity and ACCESSIBILITY of having
local office in Washington has been
recommended to the headquarters of
some of the foreign lines by their
representatives in New York and
Philadelphia. and sooner or later one.
Will make the move, or they will all
move together
So there Is no doubt Washington
mas become traffic city of the first
class, and no doubt the Southern
officials have a problem to solve.
They might, getting together to
try and solve the problem, decide that
1t would be advisable for the traffic
departments to remain in Washing
ton. They might decide that it would
be advisable for the legal and rate
department to remain in close touch
with the Interstate Commerce Com
mission and the other Government
agencies.
They might decide that it would
be advisable for the president and his
starr to remain in Washington lii
close touch with New York, the finan-
cial headquarters of practically all
railroads. They might decide that if
the president and his staff of lawyers
were going to stay in Washington
the paymaster would have to stay.
And, of course, if the paymaster was
going to stay the others would not
want to leave, which would solve the
problem.
OF course, the real problem is, What
is the Government going to do? No
doubt the Government officials will
give the question sympathetic consfi-
Grafton.