The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-04-02
BY gibson GARDNER.


railroads have deliberately misrepre-
scented their financial condition and
are now laying Oh men merely TO Gre
ate q false impression Of poverty for
It's effect on their plea for increased
freight rates IL the charge boldly made
before the interstate commerce COM
mission by the greatest present'day
authority on railway economics. CHI
lord Thorne. Mr.. Thorpe Is chairman
OF the state railway commission OF
Iowa, and the onicial representative OF
the National Council Of Farmers Grain
Dealers association, the National
Livestock association, and also repre-
senting the organized shippers OF sew.
Ell western states before the commits
sion. In an array of sworn testimony.
including figures and facts. he showed
that the railroads have deliberately
misrepresented IN stating that their
expenditure for labor and upkeep has
cut down their net revenues.
The carriers said Mr.. Thorne,
have given the impression to the
country at large that the increase IN
the cost of labor and supplies without
out any general advance In freight
rates being permitted during recent
years, has caused q constantly deciin-
ing net revenue or margin between
earnings and expenses. This PROPOSE
ton has been repeated In various
forms and has had q profound effect
The exhibits which offer In evidence.
compiled from the sworn reports OF
these very carriers, demonstrates that
while their expenses have Increased.
the increase in their revenues has
been greater, resulting In q constantly
increasing net revenue. Last year
their revenues about all operating rev.
enues--their net revenues-were
greater than for any other year In their
history with only one exception. 1910.
Their net revenues have increased as
much during the past Is years as they
did during the preceding 20 years.
Statesmen who are edifying their
constituents with representations that
they are the mouthpieces Of the admin
istration and that they are in any way
authorized to speak for President Will
son got left-hand, jolt this week
when the president told the newspa-
per callers that the only mouthpiece
of this administration is the tongue
with which the Almighty had equipped
one Woodrow Wilson. Senator Dun.
can u. Fletcher has been mouthpiecing
some In Florida and this Is respect
fully referred to the attention Of his
constituents. Florida papers please
copy.
Nothing more has been heard from
the special privilege senators who de.
| sired to exclude this correspondent
from the press gallery. After the pub
LEGATION OF the facts. Messrs. Fletcher
Nelson. Burton, Townsend, Overman
Root, Simmons ct al took to the tim
Der. The standing committee of press
correspondents considered informally
the question of taking some steps tc
discipline the offending senators. II
was felt that they should be reminded
and that senators would be compelled
to respect them. Up to date however
the senators have been left to their
silent penitence.
The big railroads terminating In
Washington--the Pennsylvania. Balti
more & Ohio. Chesapeake & Ohio, and
others-are obeying the new woman's
eight-hour law In the District of Co
lumbia by cutting the wages of womer
car cleaners. These women are pait
by the hour and have been reduced
from q 10 to an eight.hour day. get
ting now 1920 q week instead Of thu
former $1,000. A. there are IS of these
women the total cut amounts to $7.72:
q year, which the railroads are taking
out of their women employees. These
facts have been formally laid before
the interstate commerce commission
by Constance d. Leupp. president o
the district branch Of the Nationa