h we
have recently gained has provoked a very lively movement, not only
against acquisition of the railways by the State, but against all
extension of State industry. I hope ... that not only we, but our
neighbors also may profit by the lesson of these facts."

Mr. Acworth mentions as a characteristic indication that after years of
sad experience with governmentally owned and operated railways, the
Italian Government, just before the war, started on the new departure
(or rather returned to the old system) of granting a concession to a
private enterprise which was to take over a portion of the existing
state railway, build an extension with the aid of state subsidies, _and
then work on its own account both sections as one undertaking under
private management_.

I may add, as a fact within my own knowledge, that shortly before the
outbreak of the war the Belgian Government was studying the question of
returning its state railways to private enterprise and management.

Mr. Acworth relates a resolution _unanimously_ passed by the French
Senate a few years after the State had taken over certain lines,
beginning: "The deplorable situation of the State system, the insecurity
and irregularity of its workings." He gives figures demonstrating the
invariably greater efficiency, economy and superiority of service of
private management as compared to State management in countries where
these two systems are in operation side by side. He treats of the effect
of the conflicting interests, sectional and otherwise, which necessarily
come into play under government control when the question arises where
new lines are to be built and what extensions to be made of existing
lines.

He asks: "Can it be expected that they (these questions) will be
decided rightly by a minister responsible to a democratic legislature,
each member of which, naturally and rightly, makes the best case he can
for his own constituents, while he is quite ignorant, even if not
careless, of the interests, not only of his neighbor's constituency, but
of the public at large?" And he replied: "The answer is written large in
railway history.... The facts show that Parliamentary interference has
meant running the railways, not for the benefit of the people at large,
but to satisfy local and sectional or even personal interests." He
maintains that in a country governed on the Prussian principles railroad
operation and planning may be conducted by t