| Show Between You and Me MeU U U. S. S Transportation's Suicide e Wallace vs Cities Why Not Ban Fascism M. M Monarchism Study Bv By R RAYMOND YMOND CLAPPER WASHINGTON v Considerable heavy worrying Is la under the surface over the railroads Normal processes processes of recovery arc counted upon to restore most of our Industries to their accustomed accustomed tomed good health Not even the most optimistic hope for lor any such recuperation from the railroads They hey face some maj major r operations and careful nursing b before tore they will be able to stand on their own feet teet again Commissioner Eastman of at L I. C. C C. C feels probably more strongly than others in the government that conditions inevitably will bring about government ownership ownership ownership owner owner- ship in time While he does does' not appear to advocate te such a solution solution solution tion ho does not attempt to conceal conceal conceal con con- ceal the fact tact that he would not regard that as a calamity Chairman Jesse Jones of ot R. R P. P C. C through which some DOO have been pumped into the tho hardened arteries of or the railroads has frankly stated his belief that the tho government will will have to provide provide provide pro pro- vide more financial assistance and that along with this must go increased government supervision supervision supervision sion of oC management Those represent two of oC the main approaches approaches' found among government officials From the side of oC private busness business business busi bus ness some serious study is being given to the future of at the rail rail- roads Large Insurance companies companies compa compa- nies flies for Instance hold portfolios heavy with railroad securities and naturally they are greatly concerned concerned concerned con con- over the gloomy prospect A new organization was formed recently to do some sonic deep spade spadework spadework spadework work on the railroad problem This organization on the Transportation Transportation Transportation tation Association of oC America of which the executive vice president president president dent is Donald C. C Conn a traffic expert of oC many nany years experience outlines the problem roughly as follows First there Is the rise of competing competing com corn forms of transport transportation transportation- tion- tion automobiles trucks buses airplanes airplanes airplanes air air- planes pipelines and waterways During the last 20 years more than in public funds has been spent on improved high high- ways Another has been put Into automotive equipment equipment equip equip- ment for service over these high high- ways There is a brand new nationwide nationwide nationwide na na- na- na transportation system representing a combined public and private investment of oC which is competing with the railroads for lor a volume of oC traC- traC lice fice which probably is not much larger now than a decade decad or so ago Second there is the actual condition condition condition con con- of oC the railroads today Mr Conn says that only seven of the 50 lar largest est railroad systems earned enough during the first half of oC this year to cover expenses taxes and fixed charges three Forty-three of them failed tailed to earn their in incurred incurred incurred in- in financial obligations He says an alarmingly large percentage percentage percentage per per- of oC railroad mileage is in bankruptcy with others on the brink and still others her heretofore considered the backbone of the Industry failing to earn their fixed charges Some half hale billion bUlIon dollars of ot government money now under loan to railroads must be paid off ocr before the roads can be berele rele released sed f from om the government mortgage bonds Third there Is the situation Inthe Inthe in inthe the competing forms torms of ot tation laUon Mr Conn estimates that more than thim 75 per cent of oC hire for truck operations on the highways are conducted at a net loss And few tew if any c could uld show reasonable earnings on Invested capital if it proper allowances were made for depreciation insurance and fair fairY labor conditions Coastwise in- in and Inland shipping he ho says also operates to a tent without profit The group which Mr Conn represents rep rep- re resents appears to believe that transportation facilities arc are over- over adequate for the traffic to be served throat Cut competition and duplication of fac facilities have havo demoralized the nations nation's whole transportation system N R It A was wa's not very successful In dealing with such situations in other Industries Industries in industries In- In but the Transportation Association of oC America which combines In Its directorship shippers shippers shippers ship ship- pers bankers railroad men truckers and life Insurance executives executives exec exec- is undertaking research on the problem Secretary of Agriculture Walace Wallace Wallace Wal Wal- lace advances another reason why he believes agriculture should be bewell bewell bewell well treated He says that In no large largo city Is there a sufficient excess excess ex ex- ex- ex cess ces of births over deaths to maintain the population Cities to expand must recruit their population population population pop pop- from the country Yet Wallace Vallace says that expense of ot rearing these thes future city and of oC educating them falls upon country people Theres There's another Job for A A A. A Why not send a benefit payment to the parents whenever parents whenever a son or daughter is sent to the city to be plowed under After a hard fight Washington school teachers apparently are arc goIng going going go go- ing to be gagged now on the subject subject subject sub sub- of soviet Russia They cant can't tell their pupils how the soviet government operates because a law of congress as finally Interpreted Interpreted Interpreted Inter Inter- seems to forbid the teaching teaching teaching teach ing of oC communism We Ve dont don't believe in communism in this country so we wont won't let the subject subject subject sub sub- be mentioned in the public schools Having made this great forward stride the next thing is isto isto isto to stop the teaching of monarchy and fascism School teachers ought not be allowed to tell their pupils about the postoffice department either It is is a thoroughly socialistic in in- in And while we are at It why not make the little rascals read the speeches of James M. M Beck and Herbert Hoover on the constitution constitution tion No use stopping with halfway halfway half half- way war measures Copyright 1935 by the Washington Washing Washing- ton Post |
