Arizona republican., 1917-11-10
ROADS OF WEST ASK
 INCREASE
Republican A.P. Leased Wirei

Republican A.P. Leased Wirei
 WASHINGTON, Nov. 9.-Western railroads today re-entered the fif- teen per cent rate increase case by arranging with the interstate com merce commission for a hearing De- cember IT on an application to be made then for a general increase of an unspecified amount.
 The action will be joined to the application of eastern roads for fif- teen per cent higher rates, now be- ing heard by the commission and it is believed that southern roads will not be long in asking to be included in the case. This woulc bring before the commission defin- itely the issue of allowing increases to roads of the entire country to cover higher labor, material and sup ply costs.
 In disposing of the railroads ap- plication for a fifteen per cent raise last June, the interstate commerce commission granted few minor increases to the western carriers. They now are prepared to show that their net earnings have dwindled as compared with last year and con- tend that to maintain efficient ser vice required for the war and make necessary improvements, part of the burden of heavier operating costs must be passed on to shippers.
 A general attack on the proposed increases for eastern roads on petro- leum and it's products was made be- fore Examiner Disque today by counsel and witnesses for the inde- pendent oil interests. They contended that any increase would be destruc tive to them and inure to the ad vantage of their only competitor, the Standard oil company, whose pipe lines, distributing stations and tank wagons, make it virtually independ- ent of the railroads.
 Clifford Thorne for the oil men, said in many instances the proposed advances would exceed 15 per cent, particularly in Ohio, where they would run all the way from thirty to fifty per cent or more. He. contended that the proposed rates were arranged without consultation with the oil men and that towns in the oil field had been arbitrarily grouped by the roads in the rate adjustment.
 James Webster of the New York Central, told the examiner that petroleum received the same tariff treatment as any other commodity.
 MT. Webster was unable to recall definitely just what happened at conferences between himself and freight officials of the Nickle Plate, Clover Leaf and other roads, at which the shippers counsel con . tended pressure was brought on those lines not to take any action that would put St. Louis on a parity with Chicago from a rate stand point. Counsel for tho shippers in sisted that the Nickel Plate ana Clover Leaf were about to file schedules to put St. Louis substan- tially on the same rate basis as Chicago, but were induced not to do so because of the effect their action cent increase case before the con- mission.
 Clifford Thorne, representing live stock, grain and oil shippers, made public tonight a letter to John Skelton Williams, comptroller of the currency, taking issue with a recent statement by the comptroller SUD- porting the efforts of the railroads to obtain higher rates. He chal- lenged assertions of the comptroller, and dared him to appear before the commission and question the ac- curacy of statements of fact offered there in behalf of the shippers op- posing the advance. The letter says in part:
 T will not even suggest that you are lending the prestige of your great office to help the railroads stam- pede the commission, for l know you would not stoop to such a base un- dertaking; and if you did so 1t would be useless, for I have confi- dence in the courage and integrity of that great tribunal to know it cannot be stampeded If it were not true the time has arrived to aban- | don the regulation of railroads In | America.
 q wonder, perchance, if the idea has. ever occurred to you that one | department of the government should not try to dictate to another depart 1 ment of the government what is it's duty on matters of grave import Perhaps the commission is capable of deciding this case upon the facts presented to it, and not upon news paper interviews and pronuncia- mentos.
 You are quoted as saying that rail. i road securities have sustained tn, heaviest shrinkages and that they hay, | been the leaders in the downward movement of values. I challenge tha statement as untrue. If you have fact to substantiate such a claim 1t is you duty to present them to the interstat, commerce commission at once. Bu you know that you dare not attemp to testify to such statement unde oath. There Is not an iota of evidenc, in support of your claim that hal been offered by the railroads, or an. hireling of the railroads, in this pro ceeding. The facts are precisely tn, opposite of what you claim and W, l Continued on Page Seven)