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Show FIDS MlfflT II FM MVEffll Rail Administration Official Offi-cial Says Republicans Realize Mistake. French Tourists Say Their Nation Is Stanchly Behind Be-hind Wilson. "Xino out of every ten men in Washington Wash-ington believe in the league of nations, and even many of the Republican senators sena-tors now realize their mistake in fighting fight-ing the league." says George H. Davis, an official of the United States railroad administration, who is touring the Rocky mountain region, ascertaining the weaknesses weak-nesses and good qualities of tiie railroads under governmont control. Mr. Davis says in all his travels, which have been very extensive, throughout the United States hi; finds ninetiv-n out of everv twenty men favoring the league. He said thev realize that it is a stp fifty years in advance, and firmly believes public sentimfiU is strong enough to put it through. There are many in Washington Wash-ington who tii ink Senator Ixulge has made the great e.-t mistake of his life in fighting the feague, in so far as all opposition to the league is entirely political. po-litical. Mr. Davis's mission to the west Is an important one. He says government control con-trol of railroads has been so criticised that the department determined to find out the rt-al difficulty. Agents, therefore, there-fore, are being sent to the tour sections of the United States and by means of the check-up sywtem, both with officials and passengers, the real condition of affairs af-fairs is being ascertained. Competition Necessary. -Mr. Pa vis in commenting on govern- , ment ownership said: "The government realizes that the great railroad y sterns of the United States were made possible by competition, competi-tion, for if they had been formerly fed - e rally owned there would have been but one transcontinental system in America. The individual lines have built up the system and the government does not want to destroy tiie competition which has made the roads a success, and at the earliest opportunity they Will be returned. re-turned. "On the other hand, when people criticise criti-cise government control, they do not stop to figure that, besides keeping up trn f-fic f-fic and freight transportation In the United States during the war, over two million troops were carried, besides vast amounts of war material. "Railroad traffic today is greater than It has ever been," says Mr. Davis. "More people are traveling westward than ever before. Denver railroad officials told me that between June 13 and July 15 there1 was the greatest traffic over the railroads J ever seen. For this'reason, as the future see ha to be bright for traffic, the government gov-ernment wants to find out where faults are or where improvements should be made. Kates Are Discussed. "t do not look for the cost of railroad transportation to decrease at present, though I think it will decrease before the administration gives up the roads." Mr. Davis will stay in the city several sev-eral days, after which he will leave for Ogden, Seattle, San Francisco and other coast cities. Another expression of attitude toward the league of nations was had yesterday from Maurice Heftier, a retired business man of Paris, who. in company with his granddaughter, Mademoiselle Deruse Heftier, has stopped over in Salt Lake on a tour of America. "The league of nations is a godsend to the world." Mr. Heftier said, "and I am sure that it will be universally ratified." rati-fied." Monsieur Heftier, although well along in years, served during the war, helping his' beloved France achieve humanity's mission. His visit to America, he says, is to make his granddaughter forget the sting of war, as her father, Captain Heftier, was killed at the beginning of the great conflict. He enlisted from civilian life and was formerly a magistrate magis-trate near Paris. Monsieur Heftier slates they like America, and are especially enthusiastic over Yellowstone park, from which place they are returning eastward. Opposition Political. In commenting upon the opposition to i the league of nations, he said the most complex puzzle to him was why the American people were having such disputes dis-putes regarding the league. He declared the united opinion of France was in favor fa-vor of it. and war has taught France what a great thing the league will mean to humanity. He believes that the oppo-sition oppo-sition is entirely political. "We people of France love President Wilson, as we do our Clonienceau and 1-loyd George. War has taught us that their mission to bring about this league is almost divine," he said. . The women of France are also for the league, Mile. Heftier said. "If it had which will forever prevent such a re-been re-been in existence before the war I would now have mv father, and every home in Prance would not now be In mourning. Neither would parts of France be ruined, nor would tiie nation be crippled, both industrially and financially. The world will never forget the grief of this war,-and. war,-and. though our hearts are with America in the loss of her men, yet we. who lost tiie most, can see the need for the league, currenfe. " Telling of the love France has for the American soldiers. Monsieur Heftier said, "Neither the Knglish, the Belgian, the 1 lalian or other troops won the hearts of the French people like the American boys." "We love them; they were good fighters and they are very near our hearts. Though it will take more than a year to brins things back to normal in France, when traveling conditions are better we hope to see your American boys visit us again, this time, on a mission of pleasure rather than war." |