Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-10-08

the only thing really expected Z some
favors for the railroads east Of Buffalo.
where the effect Of loss Of foreign bust
ness is most keenly felt. In the Iowa
National bank circular for October.
gathered by the president OF the bank
who is director In the Northwestern
railroad, the matter Is treated as fol-
lows:
Railroad gross earnings for July
were 262,000,00U a falling OF OF
nearly $10.000.O00. or almost per cent
compared with July of last year. Not
earnings. however. We're 10000. 900
showing a decline of less than
$1,000,00O or slightly more than
per cent. While far from satisfactory
this is a much better showing than the
railroads have been In thel habit of
making lately Six railroads actual6
showed an increase In gross earnings as
compared with last year and fourteen
showed an Increase in the net. the ma
jority OF those showing an increase In
net being important trunk lines. The
middle western roads showed loss in
gross but gain In net; the southern
roads showed gain i'm gross and a
gain in net. and the southwestern roads
net. The other groups showed de-
cline in both gross and net earnings
for the month
1.-The railroads have petitioned the
interstate commerce commission for a
reopening and reconsideration of the
percent freight rate advance case in
the hope that the commission will now
see the extreme need of additional rev-
~ tlvra dc o. of P1iff al
Railroad gross earnings for the first
six months of this calendar Year de-
creased nearly per cent while net
earnings for the same period decreased
nearly 10 per cent"
1t Is regarded as very important that
many of the trunk line roads are able
to show an actual iucrease in their net
earnings as compared with a year ago.
when they We're making their big fight
for a rate raise on the theory that the
decline In earnings was n permanent
and unavoidable thing. But it will be
seen that the western roads have don.
better than the others
The assertion that the rate case is
in the hope of additional revenue east
Of Buffalo is regarded as significant,
and ii is taken to mean that while the
case will be prosecuted as ii to gain
all that is petitioned for il will be in
the expectation of getting only small
part
The forthcoming biennial report OF
the bureau OF labor statistics will con-
tain, among other things a detailed
report on the ::rst application of the
arbitration law in Iowa, as ii is re-
CURED the report OF the arbitration
boa I'd shall be made a matter OF record.
This is the Oskaloosa street car case.
This and the Fort Dodge telephone
case are the only ones where there has
been application of the law. Both
were unfortunate in that the control
ling ownership lies outside the state
and is TO a large extent Indifferent TO
public sentiment, hence the publicity
feature had little effect.
But while the law has not been in
yokcd In a single instance for more
than u year, there is no doubt that ii
~ having exactly the effect intended
namely, that Of making any arhitra-
ton unnecessary. 1t is just because
OF the law, so many believe, that there
is no need of arbitration or other set
tiement OF labor disputes. That Is
what was claimed would be the effect
OF the law
There is not doubt but that II was
all being framed up to have big fight
TO a finish between the labor and cap
ital in Des Moines and that 1t was
intended by those who were mobilizing
for the fight 10 have the battle COM
menced long ago. In the past year all
mobilization seems to have been
abandoned. Something happened 10
put a stop TO II. Close observers say
I, was the law, and that men who had
planned to join in the contest came to
8 realization that they could not very
well stand to have full Investigation
and publicity given TO, their work. In
other words, the publicity feature acts
as a check te those who are being drlv-
en- toward labor contest, not as to
one side but both sides. and prevents
having matters brought to a crisis.
Il 10 regarded as somewhat unusual
that In all industrial lines in Iowa
there should have been in the past year
practically no disturbance.