New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-06
/ Plea for More Modern
Port Terminal Facilities
,.,t Waste Costly Delays and lneficiency Not in the
Long Haul but in Local Transfer Storage and Dis
tributon. Says an Expert-Subject Little
Understood and Its Importance
Not Greatly Appreciated.

term OF years and durinO a period of
unforeseen invention and progress.
There is vast amount of technical
study required in the physical devel-
opment and effective organization OF
port. Some cities, such as New Or
leans, San Francisco and Montreal,
have found that municipal or state
ownership or control of the waterfront
served with a belt line railroad neu-
Trailing all piers of oil steamship
lines and operating impartially for all
railroads with common rate of 81 or
SO per car for switching in and out is
the best solution. New York, for in
stance, combines state, municipal, rail-
road, steamship and private ownership
or control and the lightersge system
performs the service of belt line.
These many diverse methods of phys
ical improvements and varying meth
DDS of administration and policies OF
finance have puzzled many cities eager
for port improvement when they have
attempted 20 harmonic the terminal
interests of the different railroads,
steamship lines and shippers, often
apparently conflicting.
The railroads have little encourage
metn TO act in harmony. They are
forbidden by the government 70 com
bine; they are urged by shippers TO
compete; they are forced by labor
unions 70 disgorge; they are impor-
tuned for dividends by 100000 stock
holders; a critical public demands i'm
proved service; receiverships flourish
and the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion issues orders.
A Federal Shipping Commission.
Now Federal Shipping Commission
is TO be created 20 regulate water
carriers in the same way that the In
terstate Commerce Commission regu-
lates rail carriers, but the railroads
are forbidden by the government TO
engage in the business of transporta-
ton by water. So, again there is the
terminal problem or point of transfer
left uncared for unless the commits
sions amalgamate their Jurisdictions or
synehronize their separate authorities
Most government regulation of car
riers and shippers, however, is Of re-
straining character or in the nature of
control In the operation and admin
istration Of the existing facilities,
whereas the fundamental terminal de-
fciency is found in the imperfect physi-
cal arrangement, equipment and CO.
ordination. II is hoped that the eager
ness Of American business men TO share
permanently in foreign trade will solve
the terminal problem.
Competition after the war will be the
keenest the world has ever known. On
May 6 the Canadian Parliament voted
TO grant the request of Sir George Fos-
ter. Minister Of Trade and Commerce,
for an appropriation Of $4,000 TO en-
able the government TO organize cam
paign for foreign trade. The French
are already planning for the time
"Quand Ia paiX viendra." 1t is esti-
mated that when peace comes the Rus
sian government will at once need
$500 100000 worth of machinery and
private Russian interests will require
500 900, 900 more, and that $4,000 miles
of new railroad construction will be
undertaken 70 supplement the present
$4,000 miles, q meagre mileage for so
vast an empire.
But the need for terminal improve
ments does not rest alone on the bene-
fits from foreign trade. The domestic
trade is vastly greater in volume and
value, and every dollar of wasteful ter
minal charge is added to the cost Of
the consumers daily provisions, his
household goods and all merchandise
and commodities which have had their
price but not their value increased be-
cause Of terminal congestion, delays,
unnecessary and expensive handling
and storage through the devious and
Anticipated channels Of distribution, in
stead Of following the modern, direct
and scientific methods which 1t is hoped
may be inaugurated for the daily econ
omy of each household and the promo
ton through efficiency Of foreign trade.
trade.