The Washington herald., 1917-03-28
ASK l5PER CENT RAISE
OF RATES ON Freight
Roads Losing Money, Presidents Tell
Commerce Commission.

Railroad presidents representing the
Eastern, Western. Southwestern and
Southern lines yesterday asked the In
terstate Commerce Commission for
general increase m freight rates. Tts
Eastern lines formally announced Il
want a Is per cent increase on all cor
modities except coal. coke and ore. In
creases ranging from to Is cents ton
less than 10 per cent-were asked on
these. Formal petitions will be filed
shortly and the increase sought for the
whole country Is expected to be b per
| cent.
! A. e. Helm. appearing for the Kansas
public utilities commission. championed
| the cause of the shipping public and
! bitterly protested against a general rate
increase. He declared the railroads are
extremely prosperous. A spirited argu-
ment between the lone representative OF
the shippers and a half a dozen rail-
road presidents followed. Several OF the
railroad presidents had declared the
country is in sympathy with the general
increase.
Let the commission provide an inves-
tigation and hearing and protests
enough will be filed" said Judge Helm.
1.-THE house already is full Of them.
said Commissioner Clark from the bench.
referring to hundreds Of kilograms OF
protest against a general rate increase
which have reached the commission from
, shippers.
The commission. at the conclusion OF
yesterdays conference. did not vouchsafe
any word as to what its attitude will be.
The railroad presidents were all espe-
cially insistent that immediate favorable
action on the application is imperative.
Mr.. Bush declared that unless the in
crease Is granted the government will
have to take over the railroad system OF
the country.
Mr.. Holden said for the Western rail-
roads that the cost of operating rail-
roads has increased nearly 100 per cent.
He quoted prices for 1915, 1916 and 1917 for
representative commodities, and said no
lower prices are in sight. He said he
anticipates more demands from organ
lied labor. In reply to a question from
Commissioner Clements as to whether
indications OF combinations had been
found as causes OF high prices, Mr.. Hol.
den said the only evidence Of combination
was on the part Of organized labor.
Mr.. Bush said the increased operating
expenses for 1917 would dictate rate in
creases for FIVE representative Western
railroads as follows: Missouri Pacific. IS
per cent: Frisco System. 20 per cent; St
Louis Southwestern. PA per cent: Mis-
souri,. Kansas and Texas. q per cent, and
Rock Island. 1873 per cent. He said with
out more revenues the railroads can not
finance their enterprises much longer and
the government will have to take over
the roads.
Fairfax Harrison. for the Southern
lines. declared that the South is pros
porous. He said his road-the Southern
Raflway-is making money and will make
100000 in 1917 despite increased operat-
ing costs, even IL the commission does
not grant a rate increase. He said. how
ever that Southern lines should have at
least IA per cent increase to give them
big incomes to help develop the back
ward South.
Figures. were submitted showing an in
crease in the railroads bill Of $4o0, oo0, 900
or Is per cent for 1917 as compared with
1916
Commissioner Clements suggested that
the railroads wait for an increase until
the commission has had time to observe
the workings Of the eight-hour law and
report to Congress.
The railroad presidents suggested that
the commission permit them to file sup
plements to their tariffs rather than go
to the expense of printing and filing en-
tirely new tariffs.
1t is expected that the commission will
make known its intention as to procedure
within a few days.