The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-06-15

of all the emergencies of the ma
tions, to determine what commodity
should be moved and what not. II
would enable this flying squadron to
be distributed where it is most need
ed. Perishable commodities could
be saved. Our people would be fed.
Food shortage could be prevented.
Fuel could be placed where it is
needed and at rates that industry
could stand. Cars could be run full
both ways. Transportation could be
speeded up. And rates could be ad-
justed on basis suited to the service
performed rather than to the arbi-
trary classification which now pre-
walls. The proposal would involve
relatively small expenditure. 1t would
involve little organization, for a
single office force Of anyone of the
fast freight lines could handle all of
the lines involved. Rates could be
simplified. Instead of million com
modify rates a score would suffice.
The rates paid the railroads might
be the same as. those now paid by
the fast freight lines. They might
be fixed on a car mile or a ton
mile basis for haulage, irrespective
of the contents of the car. This
would repay the railroads for service
rendered. 1t would enable the gov
ernment, thinking in terms of the
whole nation, to classify freight rates
to meet the emergency conditions.
Thousands of offices could be closed.
POSSIBLY the post office depart
ment need only increase its per-
sonnel and change the limits now
imposed on the parcel post; for some
countries in Europe will carry
ton of coal or a piano by parcel post
if the shipper so. desires. But the
great gain would not be in these
economies, colossal though they
would probably be. The great ad-
vantage would be in the freeing of
the producer from fear, in releasing
the energies of the manufacturer and
the famer, in making if possible to
speed up the production of wealth
and it's distribution unimpeded by
the conflict and the chaos which
now results from hundreds of in
dividual roads struggling for their
share of the traffic, irrespective
of the requirements of the nation
as whole
at is obvious that a human be-
ing could not function properly if
his circulatory system or his ailmen-
tary canal were subject to control
by some other person. What is
true of the human body is true of
the social organism as well. The
mobilization of the nation is only
half completed if the efforts of those
who produce are thwarted or strang-
led by those entrusted with the dis
tribution of such wealth to its prop
er destination.
"Such a pooling of the fast freight
lines under government operation
would be of great service in deter
mining many disputed questions now
before the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. The railroads are demand
ing an increase in freight rates
equivalent to nearly $500,000,000. Yet
no one knows whether this increase
should be granted. We have only
such ex-parte testimony as inter-
ested parties adduce upon the subject.
And the increased freight rates
which they are asking the country
to bear would, if expended for
freight cars, place the government
in possession of 100000 cars capable
of transporting ten million tons of
freight at single haulage, and of
delivering possibly a billion tons of |
freight year from the producer to
the consumer.
"Such an experiment, too, would |
speed up the railroads. 1t would |
automatically compel them to effect |
economies, to develop initiative, just
as the building of municipal electric
lighting plants has compelled pri-
vately owned plants to reduce rates
and improve service to meet the |
which the community of
fered. The effect of government !
competition in the transportation
field is seen by the effect of the
parcel post. 1t is carrying over
four hundred million parcels a year,
it is less than four years
old. 1t carries four pound pack
age at profit; whereas the express
service loses money on twenty-five
pound packages when it delivers
these packages promptly and at a !
low cost to the shipper. These four
hundred million services rendered the .
i