The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-06-09
INDUSTRIES ASK
 SPEEDY ACTION.
Interests Depending on Railroad Purchases Want Rate QueS-
 ton Promptly Settled
MAKE APPEAL ID CONGRESS
Also to Public and Shippers Say Suspense Would be Dis
 aStrOuS to Business

Executive committee of the Railway Business association, which within its membership represents $500, 900, 900 of invested capital, which speaks for group of industries giving employ upon which 6,0OO,00O people depend for support, met here and at the close of its session, gave out a statement in chief as follows, addressed to con gress, to railways, to the shippers, and to the public:
 ''The question of whether the rail- roads are entitled to a general ad- vance in freight rates is now before the public. The merits of individual rates will come before the interstate commerce commission. During the period of uncertainty as to whether rates filed are reasonable or other industrial conditions. It is therefore of the greatest importance that the way shall be cleared for the speediest possible decision by the commission. To that end the Railway Business association appeals:
 Appeal to Congress.
 "1-To congress, that the president of the United States having recom- mended provision governing the
 
 commission over freight changes, such provision be enacted forthwith to go into effect upon it's passage. By this recommendation of the president the powers and duties of the interstate commerce commission are to be greatly enlarged and in the present emergency it is decreed that the ap- proval of hundreds of thousands of freight rates must be given by the commission before effectuation. It Is deemed proper therefore to urge that serious attention be given the organ iza tion upon which the enormous de- mand for increased output is to be made.
 Nothing could be more disastrous to the railroads and all the com merce and industry of our country than to stake all that is proposed to to find that, with its organization it cannot do the work within a reason able time. We urge that such ap- propriations as may be found neces- sary be made to enable the commis- sion to cope with their increased duties.
 "2-To the railways: That they fa- cilttate the work of the commission by having their schedules so arranged and the reason therefore so clearly set forth as to require the least possi- ble time to comprehend their. scope
  the railways acquaint the shippers more fully with the reasons for freight advance.
 Must Have Adequate Revenue.
 gro the shippers: That they look upon the railways precisely as they would look upon any other concern for whose solvency the management and not the government is responsible. A going concern must have an ade-
  involves not merely the amount which the railways shall receive for carrying a consignment but it's ability to carry it at all. It embraces not alone the transportation efficiency but general prosperity. We suggest to the heads of freight paying enterprises that they study this question at first hand in the broadest way. By so doing they may conclude that an advance may be for their own best interests.
 4-To the public: That they frank ly concede to the railways the neces- sity for adequate revenue and await with patience and good nature the ind- ings of the commission as to the req condolences of proposed rates.
 "The members of the Railway Bus mess Association have but recently emerged from a period of closed shops. the idle men and disastrous losses due to cessation of railway purchases. We contemplate with grave anxiety the possibility of undue restriction of rail- way revenues. Ours is not the plea of special interest whose prosperity we would purchase at the expense of other interests or of the general pub lie If our product is not bought, the commerce of the country cannot be efficiently carried; if our men are whol- ly or partly off the payroll the stop page of their outlays communicates it. self to millions more who make or sell them necessities.
 ''As the basis of our belief in the necessity of increased revenues for the railroads, we submit:
 Shore Business Advanced Prices.
 Either the railroads stand alone among all other business enterprises in their ability to meet universal in creases in cost of labor and material without advancing the price of what they have to sell, or else an advance in rates is necessary"
 The membership of the sub-commit- tee which drafted thesabove report. ac- cepted by the general executive com mittee is as follows:
 Mulliken & Co., Chicago, chairman; H. H. Westinghouse. vice president the Westinghouse Air Brake Company, N. Y.; W. H. Marshall president the American Locomotive Company. N. Y. c. H. Cutler. president the American Brakeshoe and Foundry Co.,, N. Y.: A. B. Johnson. vice president the Bald win Locomotive Company Philadel- phia; A. MI Kettridge, President Bar ney and Smith Power Company. Day ton. Ohio; E. B. Leigh, president the Chicago.