The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-21
LOOKS LIKE ROADS
Are WINNING FIGHT
Shippers Arguments Against Rate
Advance DO Net Seem to Have
Necessary Punch to Bring
Results.

/ Washington. April 2o.--American
shippers today in an day hearing
before the interstate commerce COM
mission fought a losing fight against
/ The petition OF the railroads for "A
/ Is per cent general increase in freight
rates.
( At the close OF the day IL was evil
dent that unless more forceful argu-
meuts were made against the increase
the present tentative order Of the com =
mission which permits the Increase
temporarily would be made permanent
within few days
j The shippers were almost unanimous
today in agreeing that emergency
conditions warranted some measure OF
increased rates for the railroads. but
as TO the amount OF the increase and
the manEner in which ii should be APP
/ piled their views were widely at vari-
ance.
While some shippers contended that
a Is per cent increase In rates would
inject with no objection others violent
~ denounced the proposal as too
greatly increasing railroad revenues,
and said il was based on a wrong and
harmful principle. 1t is estimated
that the u per cent increase, If grant
cd would add from 5000. 0o9.0 to
/ H3VN,NVh,pVp 10 Taltroad revenues dh-
nus1lv
Those who opposed the percenta ge
method cited the increase ii would
effect In the discrimination against
tinter-mountain cities. They felt that
I'll increase in revenue should be ef-
fected BY adding Specific amounts TO
present hundred pound freight rates.
! The proposal of the railroads pro-
vides that the increases. Ii granted
shall he suspended at the $nd of \
year. Most of the shippers believed
the interstate commerce commission
should get some guarantee of suspen-
sion of the increase. but II. G. Wilson,
representing the Toledo Commerce
club. took the opposite view.
May Prevail Long Time.
We must not fool ourselves" re
said, I'VE must not be deluded into
! believing that present conditions OF
the labor and material markets are
sniy temporary. These conditions are
going to prevail for many years after
the war has ended. We shall never
see the return Of conditions that pre-
vailed in this country prior TO 1914"
Wilson believed that substantial in
creases should be granted the rail-
roads, and that they should be made
permanent
tliIprd l. ] n0fNRr FORMER GBHlI ma VI
,of the Iowa Interstate c~~umeTce COM
mission. represented The national ship
perF conference. an organization
formed in Chicago week ago. Thorne
did his best to convince the commits
sion that no emergency existed and
/ that the railroads were entitled to no
/ advantages whatsoever
His view was not that of the ma
! iority Of the shippers although he
| apparently was the leader in the fight.
/ ]. II. Beke, representing the Saint
I Paul chamber of commerce. took ex-
act]y the opposite stand.
This commission is better qualified
! than any shipper TO judge whether
or not the railroads are entitled to
an advance in freight rates. said
Bekc. @The tax on the public caused
by Inadequate facilities is far great
er than any advance in freight rates
could be. The railroads. in my view
are entitled to an advance, They are
entitled to II now, for a great emer-
genCy exists"
Although some OF the shippers in
sisted that a moderate advance m
rates should so into effect as soon as
possible. the majority felt that no In
creases should be decided upon until
after full and complete investigation
! Asked how long such an investig alton
should consume, the shippers gave
varying answers. Some thought forty
/ days would be sufficient. others want
/ ed a four-months delay.