The sun., 1917-11-06

RATE ADVANCE
ASWAR NEED
They InterpOse No Protest
Against Immediate Relief
for Railroads.
|
RAILWAY HEADS PLEAD
Willard. Rea. Elliott and
Others Show Crisis That
Confronts Lines.
RAILWAY HEADS PLEAD

Confronts Lines.
Special DespaseA 10 ras srS.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 5.-As o var
measure purely and simply to insure the
maximum Of, eficiency In railway SER
vice for the war period the clippers Of
the United States will interpces no pro-
test against the mediate advance Of
order to provide the needed railway rev.
enues
This statement was made on behalf OF
shippers Of meat and meat products.
cattle and other live stock. stone. grain
and petroleum and other oil products BY
the legal representatives Of the various
shipping interests at the close Of the
first days hearings Of the Is Der cent
rate advance case undergoing review by
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
The announcement on behalf Of the
shippers furnished Q sensation at the
conclusion Of the presentation Of the case
OF the railways by the heads Of the vari-
Gus Eastern trunk tines.
In offering this temporary concession
at such time the shippers removed, in
so Tar as the emergency action of the In
terstate Commerce Commission IL con-
cerned. practically the only bar to the
authorization of an immediate advance
In rates. at least to the point previously
sought by the railways in the presenta-
ton OF the case last spring II not TO 4
slightly higher point In view Of the rap
idly changing conditions set forth for
the consideration OF the commission by
such railway authorities as Daniel VIII.
lard OF the Baltimore and Ohio. and also
a member Of the advisory commission Of
the Council Of National Defence Samuel
Rea Of the Pennsylvania. and Howard
Elliott Of the New Haven.
IL rs Not = Surrender.
The relinquishment Of the fight
| against the rate advance on the part Of
the representative shippers Of the coun-
try. II was made clear BY their At
torneys. 10 not to b accepted - sur
rsedsr Of their peeatisn for tAs A,eure
asr So sAnlssion Sn .tAele ui6Gst -
fuvtice Or authenticity Of the claims Of
| imposed by the war emergency 10 too
| heavy Tor the railways TO bear.
| In other words, tho relinquishment In
q measure of expediency predicated upon
admitted abnormal, conditions Of trafic.
| abnormal conditions In the skilled and
unskilled labor markets. abnormal con-
ditions in the felds Of finance. in the
markets for railway materials Of every
description. most particularly Of all OF
| fuel. The shippers offered to withdraw
temporarily all specific protests against
the proposed rate advance and permit
the hearings by the commission to pro-
cesd on an ox psrte basis.
The Graz Of the railways before the
commission In general had been closed
by the attorneys and other represents
tives OF the roads before the shippers
announcement was made. A. the morn
ing and afternoon hearings the railway
heads introduced their heavy artillery
surrounding the commission with both
barrage and drum hre Of facts and
figures preparatory to the offer Of an
armistice by the shippers.
Then as the commission was prepar-
ing to adjourn for the day Ross ID
Rynder. speaking on behalf ~ the pack
ers. announced to the commission the
general determination Of the firms of p
Morris 4 Co. and Schwarzschild 4 Suls
berger to let the rate advance case g
TO a decision on its merits and upon ar
ex parte basis.
Immediately Clifford Thorne, repre-
aenting live stock. grain elevator and in
dependent shippers Of petroleum and pc
troleum products. made similar an
nouncement on behSif Of his clients HI
was followed by other shippers reprs
sentatives, and then the commission an
nouncet the schedule Of specific hear
ings which would intervene before thu
J REORGANIZATION Of the railway heads
! Chairman Hall said that this would b'
set for November II.
President Willard In his opening state
ment uttered = warning against deple
tion Of power and efficiency OF the Amer
lean railway He quoted Field Marsha
JofYre's citations OF the war experience
Of France.
The United states.' said Mr.. willard
must not permit its transportation sys
tenn to approach exhaustion. As mat
ter Of prudence the country should az
sume thas the war will continue for tw'
: years. He quoted an English arm,
. oficer a. saying that the English rail
ways were being maintained and oper
ated on the assumption that tho wa
: would always last two years longer.
Marshal JoRre," said Mr.. WILLARD
told railroad executives In tho Unite
. States that France had exhausted he
|, railway reserve facilities despite IN
!, fact that the utmost enlcioncy mao pee
i obtained by ripping up minor lines an
in some cases double tracks and employ
ing all available material and equiv
ment on q few all important line
= American engineers have observed Wit
surprise the high efficiency OF the Frenc
roads devoted to military usea-
"As against this situation In France
where the roads are overburdened. III
. Baltimore and Ohio and come otht
J, roads in the United States are not aol
= = with the Same facilities they had on
= year ago, TO handle ~ much business o
!. them"
. The need for new capital in the raj
" way Industry. Mr.. willard said. was
dominant factor IN the present situs
!, ton. Said he:
Il "If other industries than the raj
;. roads are in greater need of capit'
n for the winning OF the war. then the
q should have priority. But II new cap
"a tai spent 'for railroad locomotives III
cars will help win the war. then n
railroads should he allowed to bid Il
the capital"
President Rea Of the Pennsylvan
n told the commission this was not Q tin
= for pause Neither" said he. rs II
=. time for disregardins the facts Of !,
y