Evening star., 1944-11-09

m q de- ct the Lswsn Msilett.
time the railroads were being ex-
tended into the West and was in
tended Is partial Offset to the gift
Of vast areas Of land by the Gov
ernment to the railroad companies
Under the original acts of Con-
gress setting this up. all Govern
i.ient business had the benefit OF
the reduced rates. Four years age
Congress abrogated the agreement
as It applied to civilian Government
business, but left it in effect with
respect to the Army and Navy. Now
1t is proposed to abolish the re-
duced passenger and freight rates
provided for the armed forces, like
wise. A bill to accomplish this
passed the House in August and Is
expected to come up for action IN
the Senate before the end OF the
year.
The success the railroads have
had in the House makes any real
resistance in the Senate doubtful.
The same arguments will be used.
The, military rates will be called
half rates, although in practice the
reduction is said to be only about II
per cent. 1t will be argued that
whereas the railroads loss Of reve-
nue. is relatively slight during nor
NAL years, the loss now, because Of
the enormous military business, Is
very great. The fact that the rail-
roads, nevertheless, are enjoying
extraordinary prosperity will be
overlooked. ~
Support will be mustered not only
from shippers organizations, cham
bers Of commerce and other busi-
ness groups, but from some Of the
railroad brotherhoodS. The latter
are said to have been sold the idea
that higher wages may result.
May Overlook Economy"
Those Senators who most fre-
quently clamor for Government
economy are likely to be silent, if
not actively joining in the demand
that the Government pay the higher
rates.
Into this situation the Agriculture
and Interior Departments have
stepped with q proposal that prob
ably would be considered fair by
the American people if the American
people had an opportunity to ex-
anime it. 1t is that If the railroads
are relieved Of the bargain they
made at the time of the land grants
they be required to give back
to the Government the land they
still hold.
This does not refer to any land
used in their railroad operations,
but only to land they are holding to
sell, just as they already have sold
the greater part Of the acreage given
them by the Government. The land
not yet sold by the railroads out of
the original 1872 600, 900 acres,
amounts to some $4,000, 900 acres,
with an estimated value of $780,
600 900. For the most part it Is
completely intermingled with lands
owned by the Government-public
parks, national forests, grazing dis
tricts and the like.
Map Like Checkerboard.
The original grants gave the rail-
road companies every other section
Of land certain number of miles
on either side of the railroad. In
some regions a map covering the
Government and the railroad hold
ings still looks like a checkerboard.
Development and utilization of the
Government lands Is made more
difdcult by this situation.
Interior and Agriculture Depart
ments have in mind to propose, as
part Of any Government works pro-
gram that may be undertaken dur
Ing the reconversion period, a num-
Der of projects for thesimprovement
and use Of the Nations public lands.
The, lands still held by the railroads
could be readily fitted into such
projects; indeed, II the Government
and railroad holdings were thrown
together, their utilization would be
made much easier. The work would
be done In the manner Of the Sue
cessful CCC projects.
The land grants made the building
Of the railroads possible. The Gov
ernment now has need for what re-