Evening star., 1914-11-17
POLICIES Of STATES
HAMPER TK{L. c. c.
Acting Chairman Clements So
Informs Convention of Rail-
way Commissioners.
CONFLICT OF RESULTS
CRIES FOR COOPERATION
Questions of Railroad, Express,
Telephone and Telegraph Rates and
Safety of Life Taken Up.

hudson C. Clements, acting chairman
of the interstate commerce commits
sion. TODAY declared that the divergent
and conflicting state policies which
have become the bases of state railroad
rate fabrics are producing intolerable
conditions of discrimination in the
United States, creating situation
that demands frank, thorough and
coura geous treatment, and when
"cries aloud for cooperative action.
Mr.. Clements statements were made
at the opening session of the twenty
sixth annual convention OF the Ma
fional Association of Railway tommls-
sioners, which began work TO-DAY III
the hearing room of the interstate
commerce commission. He welcomed
the delegates on behalf of the inter-
state commerce commission. although ne
pointed out that he was expressing MS
Individual views as to the SUBJECT OF
railroad rate legislation, which Is said
TO have been the cause of more wide-
spread agitation the past few years
than any other public question
The convention, which Will continue
work for four days, will take up SUD-
iects which to the general reader may
seem at first glance to be abstruse ana
abstract, but which touch the life OF
the people at many vital points. the
delegates to the gathering, VINO meet
In Washington once year, are 'he
officials of the various states charged
with the regulation of COMMUNICATIONS
and traffic in the commonWeaIths
Deal With Loss of Life.
The deliberations and actions of the
delegates have a direct bearing and ef-
feet upon what the people of the coun-
try shall pay for passenger fares.
freight rates telephone and telegraph
messages, and for transporting express
packages. Their work has a more in
innate human interest, in that it deals
with the enormous annual loss of hu-
man life in the United States at grade
crossings" and through trespass on
railroads, and the prevention OF sucn
loss nv the use of safety appliances"
and proper railroad rails and suitable
equipment.
The convention organized for work
today with the presentation of reports
on all the subjects mentioned, as well
as others, first listening to an address
by Lawrence d. Finn of Kentucky, the
president of the organization.
Mr. Finn pointed out that governmental
regulation as a means of protecting the
public against injurious policies of COM
mon carriers has justified the time, Ia
Dor and money spent He instanced the
practical elimination of rebating to ship
pers, the evils of free transportation by
the pass system, and said that discrim-
ination between individuals has been al
most abolished.
Progress in eliminating discrimination
between localities" Mr. Finn said, has
not been so successful. That task is more
difficult Under an old practice common
carriers have had the privilege OF max
ing transportation charges for manufac-
tured products greater to nearby mar
kets than to distant places of consump-
ton. The undue preference section and
the long and short haul clause were
legislative expressions designed to pro-
tect smaller points and intermediate sta
tions. Under the old policy the railroads
obtained additional revenue. When it
was established land was cheap, traffic
was light and the country was sparsely
settled"
Mr.. Finn added:
while the policy of the law is to
equalize rates with relation to dis
tance, fostering competitive conditions
TO secure reasonable rates intensifies
discrimination between localities.
Where conflicting public policies OBJ
tain. conflicting results inevitably fol-
low"
Urges More Cooperation.
Especial interest was shown in Mr..