Evening star., 1917-11-06
TOOFFSET EXPENSE /.
BROUGHT ON BY WAR.
Railroads Would Advance
Freight Rates Above Is Per-
Cent Previously Asked. =.
|. C. c. BEGINS HEARINGS

Another phase Of the fight Of the east.
ern railroads for increasing freight rates
which brought the executive heads Of
various great trunk line systems to
Washington for yesterdays hearing be-
fore the Interstate Commerce Comnlis-
sion was inaugurated today. when Ex-
aminer Disque, by direction OF the COM
mission. began a series OF hearings on
separate rate schedules involved in the
case.
The railroads are asking not only the
complete horizontal Is per cent increase
which they sought previously and were
partly denied in the commissions de-
cision last spring. but are urging further
increases. on the ground that the Is per
cent advance now would be inadequate to
meet the mounting costs OF wartime rail-
way operation.
Separate Hearings Begin.
The separate hearings began today
with a presentation of the case Of the
coal. The New Haven road alone ex-
poets 100000 additional revenue an
nually il the increase In coal rates Is
granted and other roads will derive
considerably more. Other hearings this
and next week will concern petroleum.
lumber and cement. The presentation
of the case of the shippers will be
made a week from Friday, with final
arguments in all phases OF the rate case
on Saturday. November II.
The eastern railroads laid before the
commission yesterday their case for
substantial increases in freight rates to
meet increased expenses under war
conditions. The presidents Of seven
roads and counsel for many more. sum-
moned by the commission to make
statements, Joined in submitting that in
spite OF increased gross earnings rail-
road net revenues have decreased to
such an extent that even granting OF
the full is per cent increase would not
provide for necessary improvements
and 4 fair return on invested capital
Opposition to Increase.
Clifford Thorne. representing oil
companies. grain dealers ana live stock
interests. told the commission that.
while his clients opposed any fncrsAss,
they were entirely willing to abide by
the result OF the Investigation. ROSS
d. Rynder of Chicago. a spokesman
for the packers. said the packers would
not object to a percentage increase on
all trafiic. including their own, II the
commission found 1t necessary. ana
would postpone until after the war
emergency passed any request for
action on complaints Other shippers
took virtually the same position, AL
though representatives OF the Indiana
Lime Stone Association wanted their
rights to protest reserved.
Would Increase Passenger Fares.
An important development yester.
day was the filing by the railroads enter
ing Boston Of applications for authority to
increase passenger rates. involving
some millions of dollars additional
revenue. Other New England roads
not entering Boston. 1t vas announced,
will fle similar applications. The pro.
posed increases are one-Quarter OF .
cent per mile increase on one-wAy
tickets and mileage tickets. and an In
crease of 25 per cent in rates covering
the so-called trip tickets.
Plea for Raise in. Coal Rates.
President Kerr OF the Ontario ana
western. H. NJ Griggs, coal agent OF
the New York Central lines west. and
other officials of the coal carriers EN-.
phasized the need OF the roads for more
revenue from the coal trafiic. Anthra.
cite rates in particular. the officials
said, should get an increase.