South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-03-28
ALL RAILROADS
To ASK ADVANCE
Eastern Lines Will Request
Fifteen Percent Increase
on Freight Rates.

WASHINGTON, March Zb.-Gen-
eral advances in freight rates will
be sought. probably withil the next
10 days by railroads in every section
of the United states. Preliminary
steps were taken Tuesday by virtu-
ally all railroads concern ed in an
informal conference with he inter
state commerce commission.
Definite announcement was made
that the advance asked for eastern
roads would be 10 percent on all
commodities except ore, bituminOus
coal and coke. representatives Of
western lines. while not stating spe-
officially the amounts OF increase de
sired. indicated that they, too, would
ask for 10 percent. Railroads Of
the southwest submitted figures
showing increases ranging between
rs percent and PA percent were
needed 10 meet additional costs Of
operation already existing in the
case of five lines. Southern rail-
roads probably will determine the
percent of increase desired at a
conference here next Friday. No
authority will be sought under
present proceedings TO increase pas
senger fares.
Seek State Increases.
In addition 10 the proceedings be-
fore the interstate commerce COM
mission concerning interstate rates,
spokesman for the railroads let il
be known that they are preparing
TO go before every state railroad
and public utilities commission in
the Union TO ask for authority 10 in
/ crease their freight tariffs on intra-
state traffic.
Only one dissenting voice was
raised at Tuesdays conference. A.
Z. Helm, representing the public
utilities commission Of Kansas, cited
figures to uphold his contention
that the railroads emergency was
not so pressing as il had been de-
picted and that net incomes Of the
! roads last year were tremendously
greater than the year before. He
protested against authorization by
the commission Of general increases
without full investigation in ad
vance.
Telegraphic protests against the
proposed increases poured into the
offices of the commission all day.
| Commissioner Clark announced that
1.-THE house was full of protests al
ready" Twenty-Five kilograms were
received during the conference.
In the case Of all railroads ex-
cept those in the south, the request
for amendment Of the rules so as to
permit a prompt general advance in
rates was based primarily on the
ground that the cost of labor. fuel.
equipment and supplies had risen 20
unexpected levels, and that taxes
also We're much higher than last
year. Pres't Harrison of the South
/ ern railway speaking for the south
/ ern line, declared the roads Of his
section were prosperous and would
I continue to make money, even un-
/ der present conditions, but that
without an advance in rates they
could not grow" The prime need
/ Of southern railroads. he said, was
/ capital and tn. could not be oh
/ tanned with earning capacity cur
/ tailed as under present conditions.
r. F. Bush, receiver Of the Mis-
souri, Pacific, told the commission
| that unless there were a general
advance in freight rates, authorized
/ by the interstate commerce commits
/ sion and the state commissions
| there was but one alternative-gov-
| eminent ownership.
Pres't Holden OF the Chicago,
I Burlington & Quincy. said that a
Is percent advance for western
roads would meet the increased cost
\ of operation due 10 higher costs of
supplies and labor.
George Stuart Patterson. repre-
| senting the eastern lines. declared
! that there was no plan TO advance
rates unreasonab bly,. and that all that
: the railroads sought was fair treat
I ment. expedited as rapidly as posi-
/ BILE. to enable them TO meet ire
mendous increases in operating
\ costs.