Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-02

Attention of the country Is attracted
by the announcement from the Penn.
sylvania Railroad system that 1t VIII
at once undertake and speed up its
SITS, 100000 improvement program,
completing the work in little more
than two years instead of the four
year period originally projected. This
Is taken as an example to industrial
concerns because of the low cost OF
materials and the energy that is ex-
pected from labor seeking employment.
The advantage of putting money In
circulation Is observed.
Gen. Atterbury, as head Of this trans
portation company, Is commended by
the Harrisburg Telegraph because he
confirms words with actions" and This
faith is justified by works" That pa
per halls "the best item OF industrial
news in a month" and adds the COM
ment: aside from the fact that the
expansions contemplated will provide
work for thousands of men and will
have ramif1cationS In many lines OF
trade, the very fact that the greatest
railroad system Ia the country is to be
enlarged to accommodate the increased
trafic which the management sees
ahead serves to restore confidence in
the future to less courageous souls.
The announcement Is well timed. 1t
will have a good effect on prices, it
will encourage railroad people to go to
market, it will stimulate the steel
business, it will give hard pressed labor
reason for encouragement, it Is a good
thing for the country"
"Such improvement plans" in the
opinion of the Providence Journal, re
veal the confidence that the railroads
have in the future. They strongly re-
mind one of similar programs pursued
by the carriers ever since the war. In
deed, railroad history during the past 10
years has consisted not only of new rec
ords in the transportation of freight, but
also of new heights of efficiency and econ
onny of operation attained during this
period largely by reason of the improve
ment programs. The railroads now are
building for the future. Their execu-
tiveS know not only by reason of their
own seasoned judgment, but also by
profitable past experience, that the
country will require the transportation
facilities which they are now expanding
and improving"
'Wide-awake corporations" it is
pointed out by the Chicago Daily News,
know that the present low interest
rates and prices for materials enable
them to build at minimum of trouble
and cost" Referring to the Pennsyl-
vania roads discrimination to COM
plete its program of electrif1cation, ter
ninal reconstruction and related i'm
provements within two years." that
paper emphasizes also the statement OF
President Hoover that within ghe next
80 days about 100000 workers will be
employed on new Government cvnstruc-
ton" and concludes: 1.-THE Federal
and State commissions on unemploy-
ment now are urging the less alert pub
lie and private agencies to take adj
vantage Of existing exceptionally favor
able conditions in the field of construc.
ton to start Or accelerate their respec-
tive Improvement programs. The adj
vice Is sensible and valuablA siEce labor
is abundant, interest rates are low and
materials are cheap. There never was
better time than the present for PLAN
ming and pushing constructiou projects
tntranEcally sound And there = no