The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-06-06
BIG INCREASE IN
RAIL RATES MADE
Freight Tariffs Are Raised rs
Per Cent by McAdOO.
PASSENGER FARES UP ALSO
Order Of Director General Follows
Closely After Granting Of Pay
Raise 70 100000 Employ
Ses Of Roads.

Ses Of Roads.
Washington.-TO meet wage Increas-
- Just announced, and higher costs Of
SOal and other supplies this year d.
rector General McAdOO has ordered
railroad freight rates In the United
States raised 25 per cent and passenger
fares Increased to cents a mile from
the present basis of about 21h cents.
Il Is estimated that the program will
bring between $8OO,OOO,0OO and $780,
100000 more revenues to the railroads
within the next year. 1t represents
by far the biggest rate increase in the
history Of railroads.
The new freight charges, which
cover both class and commodity rates
b. ONE effective June % and the pas
senger increase will go into effect June
10.
Issued under authority granted by
the railroad act to President Wilson
acting through the director general,
the order wipes out all interstate lower
rates effective on either freight or pas
senger traffic.
Travellers In standard sleeping and
parlOr cars are required to pay 3Aa
cents a mile in addition to Pullman
fares and in tourist sleeping cars 3A
cents. Pullman rates remain the same,
Communication and other suburban
rates on railroads are increased 10 pei
cent. Fares on electric interurban
lines are not affected.
Special Rates Abolished.
Special excursion, mileage cOnven'
ton and tourist rates, with a few ex
cepdOns, are discontinued, privileges
such as stOp-Overs and free side trips
are abolished and excess baggage
charges are increased.
Both freight and passenger rates Oh
boat lines operated on the lakes, rivers
or cOaStwise by railroads are to be
raised prOportiOnately with the gener
al increases.
Export and import freight rates are
ordered Cancelled and the higher do
mestic rates will apply to and from
ports.
A number of fiat increases, instead
Of percentage additions, are ordered
for coal, coke, lumber, ore, stone, grain
cotton, live stock, meats, sugar, bulliOT
and other commodities.
Coal Costs $16o, 100000 More.
In announcing that the rate increase:
are required by public interest, Direc
tor General McAdoO referred to thi
rapidly rising cost Of coal, which he es
timated this year alone at $160y y0O0, ,OO(
more than last year, and to higher cos
Of every other material entering Int
railroad transportation. Operating ex
tween $S30,OOO,OOO and $860,OOO,OO(
greater this year than the $2,952yO0O,
600 figure Of last year.
No part Of the increased rates is OF
account of the program of nearly {
billion dollars Of improvements addi
tons and new equipment this year, h'
explained.
1T is earnestly hoped" said the di
rector general, that all citizens affect
ed directly or Indirectly by this increas'
of rates will support the general prin
ciple Of such increase as an unavOid
able war measure and accept the ad
ditiOnal burden in the same spirit o.
self-sacritice in which they have &C
cepted other inconvenienceS and bur
denS and the grievous personal losse.
which are part of the price that thu
nation is patriOdcally paying for wOrlC
| liberty"
Mr.. McAdOO called attention to thu
fact that there Is no way In which thu
present increasesawtll lure to private
profit"
Profits Go Back to People.
IF they turn out to be more than arC
needed to meet the grave public exi
gency," ne added, ''they will promptly
be readjusted so as to prevent any un
necessary burden upon the public, bu
pending such readjustment, the ex
cess, If any, will be for the benefit o.
the people of the United States as
whole and not for the benefit of thu
private railroad owners of any of them
ITO the extent that savings can b,
effected and to the extent that re
duced prices for the things the rail
roads must buy can be realized, 1t will
be the purpose of the director genera
to make from time to time appropriate
reductions"
The provision that Interstate rate.
shall be abolished wherever substi
tute interstate rates between thu
same points exist and that all shall b,
raised to standard national level. de
velOps the first definite conflict be
tween powers Of the federal rail
road administration and of the state
railroad and public utilities commits
EonS which, heretofore have claimed
exclusive Jurisdiction over inter
state rates. Railroad rate agents
will file tariffs containing the new
rates with state commissions as well
as with the interstate commerce com
mission. but state commissions are Der
mitted no review under the railroad
act.
Low Rate for Veterans.
Exceptions to the three-cent rate ars
made for soldiers and sailors, who
may travel at one cent a mile wher
on furlough at their own expense and
Tor persons attending the national en-
BRIEF INFORMATION