82 THE HIGH COST OF LIVING 



correct the evils, the car shortage, and with it dis- 

 criminations, have not been reHeved. Probably the 

 evil is beyond relief by the railroads. It Is inherent 

 in private ownership. 



There are hundreds of railroads in the country 

 each one of which is run as a separate business. 

 They ought to be run as a single agency. Their 

 efficiency would possibly be doubled if the colossal 

 waste now involved in the struggle for individual 

 business and the best business were ended. To-day 

 one railroad has its eastern terminals filled with 

 cars waiting for return freights, while a terminal a 

 few blocks away is clamorous for empty cars. The 

 same is tme of locomotives. Needless trains are 

 run just to maintain competition. Empty trains 

 pass one another on different railroads for the same 

 reason. Terminals all over the country are inade- 

 quate to handle the freight when it reaches them. 

 They are glutted with cars, some held for weeks 

 and months by lack of terminal facilities. This is 

 one explanation of the shortage of cars. Nor can 

 the railroads meet this situation. The cost of 

 bringing the railroads up to our needs is colossal. 

 ^Yhi\e railroad securities have been watered until 

 the roads are capitalized at $75,000 a mile, billions 

 and billions are needed just to meet present needs, 

 not to speak of future development, which is only 

 less urgent. And only the government can provide 

 this capital. 



