The Washington herald., 1913-10-29
SAFETY FIRST
DEMAND Is MADE.
Commissioner Clark Discusses
Responsibility Of
Railroads.
RIGHTS OF THE PUBLIC
Keynote of Address Before Railway
officials Of States-Many Cities
Want Next Meeting.

The cry OF safety first" which re-
Gently became the keynote of railroads,
was discussed by Chairman Edgar E.
clark, OF the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, at the convention of the Ma
tional Association of Railway Commits
sioners, which held its first session yes
terday In the Offices OF the Interstate
Commerce Commission In this city.
IL seems to me that the public Is en-
titled to greater degree OF safety while
patronizing our railroads." said the COM
missioner. The Importance of this
should be brought forcefuIly to the minds
Of every railroad official and every rail-
road employe. They should realize, and
respond to, the greater responsibilities
they have undertaken. and be held to a
strict accountability for neglect thereof
1t would be well to revive and enforce
the old fundamental rule for train opera
ton, In case Of doubt, take the safe
side"
Like 10 Discriminate.
That the railroads are unwilling to
give up discriminating between shippers
was the claim of C. P. Gothlin, Of Ohio.
president Of the association, at the
morning session They strenuously OBJ
ject to relinquishing the power of saying
Yes TO Peter and No to Paul" he
said. He attacked the present relation
of rates. AT present the relation OF
rates is a hotch-potch," he said "A
crazy quilt, framed on no theory Of jus
tice or reason; merely a growth fostered
along lines OF the least resistance.
Martin S. Decker. Of New York.
chairman of the committee on express
service and express rates, read the re-
port of that committee He said it
would be idle to prepare a report on
the question whether the 100-pound
weights and graduating scales. as pre-
scribed by the Interstate Commerce
Commission are applicable in all re-
spects to trafiic within<the States The
real question for consideration Is
whether the short distance, or intra-
state rates. which might become ef-
fective under the commissions order,
are sufficiently low for the intrastate
business. In the Eastern States. In
most instances. the rates 80 prescribed
for short-distance traffic are higher
on the hundred pounds than the ex-
listing charges, he said. On the other
hand, the graduating scale prescribed
by the commission reduces rates from
the hundred pound basis more quickly.
Contest for Next Meeting.
Today's session will be marked by a
spirited contest for the place Of holding
the convention in 1914. The committee
to select the convention city will meet
at o'clock this morning in the hearing
room of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. The ebers OF the committee ap-
pointed yesterday are: Lawton 7. Hem
ans, OF Michigan, chairman; Milo R.
Maltbie, of New York; r. Hudson, of
Florida; George A. Henshaw, OF Aka
homa, and William Fitzpatrick, OF Hi
nois.
Invitations for the next convention have
been received in New York City. Atlant-
c City, New Orleans, Buffalo, Chicago.
Denver, and San Francisco. 1t is ex-
pected that all these cities viii have
to present their claims at
the meeting of the committee.
Another feature of today's session will
be the election Of officers The present
officers are: o. P. Gothlin, OF Ohio, chair
man; Laurence B. Finn. of Kentucky,
first vice president; Clifford Thorne, of
Iowa. second vice president; William II.
Connolly, secretary: William Fitzpatrick,
,f Illinois, assistant secretary, and
Robert r. Prentis, OF Virginia, chair
nan of the executive committee.