April 1959 page 10

Johnston Praises The Railroads

South Carolinian underscores importance of the industry

taxes which help the States build and
maintain our schools and other important
projects. All of this makes America a bet-
ter place in which to live. Some of the
railroads' tax momey even finds its way
into the construction of highways, water-
ways, airways, and airports. This is a
remarkable benefit to competing car-
riers . . .

War-time flexibility
"The ability to expand capacity rapid-
ly is another feature which is character-
istic of the railroads. During World War
II, for example, using their same basic
plant, the railroads doubled their freight
traffic load over previous years, and car-
ried more than four time as many pas-
sengers.

"So here we have a very efficient type
of transportation—one which can expand
tremendously, one whose capacity is huge,
and one that feeds the economy of the
country with a $5 billion annual pay-
roll . . .

One might well ask at this point:
Why, with all their virtues and capabili-
ties, are the railroads in such serious
trouble today? The answer is fairly sim-
ple—grossly discriminatory governmen-
tal policies and practices . . .

Strong railroads needed
"The financial illness of the railroads
did not spring up overnight. It is in the
form of creeping paralysis which has
been coming on for years. If we do not
begin immediately to try to cure it, the
defense of America will be in serious
jeopardy . . .

"This country of ours must have a
healthy and prepared railroad industry
that will have the capacity to exceed even
the great job it did in World War II,
APRIL

[black and white photograph:
Senator Olin D. Johnston]

when our railroads hauled 90 per cent of
all domestic military freight and 97 per
cent of all organized troop movements . . .

"I ask, if and when transportation
legislation comes before the Congress,
that all of us consider such legislation in
the light of the railroads' far-reaching
essentially and great importance to the
economy of our country. Our railroads
are indispensable. America cannot afford
to let this vital industry wither on the
vine.

If I were asked to what industry
America owes more than to any other for
its expansion and development, I would in
all candor be bound to say that our debt
is to the railroad industry. Consequently,
we owe to it, the past, and to our future,
that we preserve this great industry—
so vital and so needed for further peace
and prosperity—and so indispensable for
us, in case of a national emergency."
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