Evening journal., 1914-10-30
The Interstate Commission
and the Emergency
(From the baltimore SUM

That the situation following the
war. taken in connection with the
conditions shown to exist prior
thereto, has created crisis i'm rail-
read affairs few will deny The rail-
roads executives and others have
testified 10 il, and even Mr. Clifford
Thorne. who has appeared so per
aisienuy ia opposition TO the gem
eral advance in rates, admits that
to-day the railroads have some
foundation for their claim" How
will the commission meet this emer-
gency
While Il is believed by many that
in the sO-callcd per cent case which
was before the commission for many
months a definite conclusion might
have been reached by the members
in less time than was taken, that fact
does not in itself offer sufficient rea-
son for the indiscriminate criticism
which has been aimed at the commits
sion of late from many quarters; its
action in granting a rehearsing at
the earliest date possible under the
law, the expedition with which IL
has taken the testimony, and the
promptnoss and brevity with which
~ has proposed argument by counsel
be- made should remove any doubts
as 10 its sincerity and appreciation
of the importance OF the questions
before that body
II has been urged by many that
tho commission should permit the
railroads 10 advance their rates IN
order that general business might
be improved and when the members
of the commission have pointed out
that their course of action was very
clearly defined by the statutes and
that they could only approve Of such
rates as were fair and reasonable
and that they could not take action
simply upon a desire to bring pros
pority. it has been said that either
the law itself was too narrow or
that the commission was not willing
10 assume proper responsibility. III
the industrial railways case the com
mission announced definitely its con
ception of its powers and respOnsi-
bility concerning the very Questions
that are now before It. In that case
after asserting that the railroads
must themselves properly conserve
their sources of revenue, il stated
This having been done, the commits
sion upon an adequate showing o.
/ The need of additional revenues vii
not shrink from the responsibility o.
sanctiOning such measures, including
even a general increase in rates, as
may be required to bring reasonable
! prosperity to railroads, so far as thi.
may be accomplished under rates anG
charges that are reasonably jus
alike to shippers and to the carriers.
Again. in its opinion rendered OF
July 20, the commission approved q
a general increase of per cent. il
rates on considerable portion o
traffic moving IN Central Freight As
sOciation territory, thereby recog
nizing the principle that the railroads
have contended for. The instance.
cited would seem 10 show that tn
present law is interpreted by tn
commission as sufficiently broad 4
cover the case at issue.
In tho earlier hearing the railroad
presented conditions which the.
urged had brought a crisis in thei
affairs. and from the facts before !
the commission found that the rail
roads income was smaller than
demanded i'm the interest Of both IN
general public and the railroads. and
expressing the anticipation of al
early improvement in general bust
ness conditions, proposed measures
of relief which. if ultimately ample