Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-05-29
STATE BOARD DELAYS ACTION
ON BOTH FREIGHT AND
EXPRESS INCREASES.
REQUESTED ADVANCES
MORE THAN IS PER CENT
Railroads Desire 70 Boost lntrastate
Rates Along With Interstate Traffic
Probable National Commission Will
Decide in Favor Of Lines-Car
Shortage Remains Acute.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines May es-The state board
of railroad commissioners has post
poned the hearing on the proposed ad-
vance in intrastate rates as requested
by the railroads from June II to June
| 20 The hearing on advanced express
rates has been postponed until June
20.
| Members of the hoard are still in
Washington at the hearing on increas-
ed freight rates before the interstate
commerce commission. Ii is probable
| that this hearing will not be conclud-
ed by June l. and for that reason the
| the Iowa hearing.
| The freight advances asked by the
railroads operating in Iowa Will amount
! to an increase over present rates OF
| fully Is per cent. In fact the proposals
as to increasing lntrastate rates cor
respond with those for increasing the
! Interstate rates which average about
| fifteen per cent advance.
II is recognized that the next move
! Of the railroads will be TO ask for an
advance in passenger fare in Iowa from
two cents per mile to "a cents now
charged on ali interstate travel.
Increase Is Probable.
Although the state commissions rep
resented ii tile hearing now in progress
at Washington have prepared mass OF
evidence to support The claims that an
increase in freight rates Is not justified
it IS considered highly probable that
the claims Of the railroads viii be rec
ogn.zed by the interstate commerce
commission and an increase in freight
rates will he granted With interstate
rates advanced the railroads will have
a strong leverage in securing advances
in state rates The argument Will be
presented that it is unfair discrimina-
ton 10 permit in,rastate rates, either
freight or passenger. which are lower
than interstate.
Thomas Waters u. of Des Moines,
appointed by Governor Harding TO
make a valuation OF Iowa railroads 70
check III with the interstate commerce
commission. began his duties Monday
Of this week Waters was an empioye
Of the state board OF railroad commits
s3orsrs before entering the iaw practice
and has ben secretary Of the Iowa SEN
ate in the last two sessions of the Iowa
legislature He is familiar with Iowa
affairs.
Freight Car Shortage Acute.
" H Bremnar president OF the NJ.
& ST L. railroad, who with other Of
| ficiaIs Of the road visited Des Moines
Yesterday, declared that the shortage In
| freight cars IS as serious as ever and
there is little hope for relief He de-
clared also that increases in the cost Of
material and labor make II impossible
for the road TO do any improving this
year.
The railroads will make the move
r.ert Of troops and war supplies their
first duty throughout the war and VIII
work together as one system TO that
end in accordance with plans previous
" announced. Food supplies will also
be KEEP; moving with as little delay as
possible according TO the present plans
Of the roads. 4
The problem Of the distribution OF
food stuffs. which Is serious one in
normal times. viii be all the more ser!-
Gus under war conditions. il is now
recognized 1t frequently happens that
when some rural markets are 2lutted
with some food supplies, other markets
at some distance away are offering
high prices for the same products. due
TO the inability to get the products
shipped in from the regions where they
are plentiful. This is often true Of APP
pies and other fruit and also OF veee-
tables.
Herbert C. Hoover has asked Cow
ernor Harding to report on the question
OF food distribution together with that
Of food supply Ia the department al
Washington II freight cars can De OBJ
tanned it IL possible the government
and the state together can work out
some satisfactory plan Of food dis
tribution.
The railroads report that they are
now taking off passenger trains wher-
ever possible so that engines and crews
may be released for freight traffic. The
roads also complain of a severe short
age Of help in the shops. especially of
machinists.