The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-11-28
W"Nsr'sss-~-"F"s@F~ $3.50 - -
STATE OWNERSHIP IMMINENT?

1
"The American people face the threat of rev
olution in the industrial life of their greatest
private enterprise says B. L. Winchell, for 'the
! possibility of government ownership and opera
ton of the railroads has become more imminent
/ than ever before" -. ~ ....
| 1t appears that before the senate and the house
| in Washington are bills which call for govern
mentment ownership and management Of the class
| I railroads to be- operated by the United States
Railways Corporation, with a directorate of five
| trustees to be appointed by the president. "They
are worked out in the greatest detail, are under
stood to have been drafted by the legal staff OF
the formed federal coordnator and are supposed
to embody his ideas on the subject, when, as and
il, congress should pass them" 20
Carl R, Gray president of the Union Pacific
System, according to Mr.. Wnchell, has warned
that costly legislation would pave the way for
natonalized railroads. 81 have very instructive
Judgment that government ownership, if it comes
is never going to come as result of a BILL IL Is
going to be approached by flank attack and 1t
is those flank movements that you want to waten
more than you do any straightforward bill Tor
the inauguration of government ownership upon
whatever method If it comes at all it is going TO
come as a result of imposing on these raiiroads
such overwhelming expense that government own
ershp, with all its attendant evils and all of Its
general taxes to meet deficits, is going to be the
only way out" ...s.. .s. :t
What would it cost the American people to ae-
ouire the Glass / railroads? About half OF the
current national debt. Estimates range from nj
teen to twenty billion dollars. If the government
should buy, it would take over million raliroad
employees, the making of a powerful political ma
chine. Under government management the num-
ber of EMPLOYEES would increase greatly and their
average wages would increase. The cost would be
upon the American people. Government. .wouia
NOT show the initiative private ownership does
Government ownership would not effect eeono-
MICS rs private ownership has done, The. Ameri-
can railroads have come through the depression
nv making every dollar do full duty. That Is not
the government method. a... So. .--...,
II is plain that there is movement Tor state
ownership and management of the American rail-
roads. Its advocates will strive steadily Tor theT
affective and it is probable that Mr. Gray is figh'
flank attacks are likely. The Security Owners
association has declared its opposition, oehe'ine
that il opens the way to waste lnenlclehcy anu
poltical bureaucracy of the most destructive type
which cannot fail to exercise profound influence
on the entire social economy of the country, ana
may indeed provide the opening wedge to ma
tion-wide socialism,
The record of state owned and operated rail-
roads in other lands is available. Are state own
ership and management in France success! IN
Germany? In Australia? In the Dominion OF
Canada? Under state ownership aren't the french
railroads victims of sabotage from time to time!
Would state ownership in the United States De
free of the conditions which obtain IN other coun-
tries? Who says that in the United States po-
litical machine would not be developed! That
hgh-salaried sinecures would not be created Tor
political favorites?
1t is necessary that Americans who are opposed
to state ownership and management of railroads
should be watchfu They should be artculate
They should tell their senator's and representa-
tives. Members of the congress. in both cham
bers, are responsive to the voice of the people
when the voice has volume. There is an organized
movement for state ownership. 1t should be COM
batted by an organized group. The American con-
gress has been known to do things when the peo-
pie were not looking or Standardization
News and Courier.