The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-06-14
QUESTION OF STATE RIGHTS FIGURES IN
 R. R. TICKET RAISE

Does the fact that the railroads are being operated by the federal govern ment suspend all cooperation of state law as to railroads? This is an inn portant question to thousands of peo- pie in this state in view of the in- crease in communication rates that went into effect Monday. If the answer to the question as outlined is in the mega tive then in view of statute law of this state which forbids such increase, the additional question as to the right of the director general to advance communication rates arises.
 The law prohibiting increase of communication rates which went up 10 per cent. Monday was enacted in 1865, and the rates for communication tickets in force at that time, it was said, by one who has investigated, have never been changed on some lines at least. The law, section 2769 of the general statutes reads:
 ''No railroad company which has had system of communication fares in l force more than four years shall alter or abolish it, except for the regulation of the price charged for such com mutation and such price shall in no case be raised to an extent that shall alter the ratio as it existed on the first day of July, 1865, between such communication and the rates then charged for way fares on the rail road of such company. Nothing there in contained shall prevent any rail road company from issuing commit tation tickets of a different system whenever the person to whom the same are issued is willing to accept the same. This section shall not ap- ply to any contracts between this state and such company for the transpor- tation of members of the general as sembly."
 | If in view of this statute the federal director general of railroads has au- thority to advance communication fares he has greater authority than the New York, New Haven and Hartford rail road officials ever recognized they had before the system passed into the management of the federal authori- l ties.
 The system that now makes up the "Consolidated" is made up of roads that formerly were conducted as in
 
 New Haven and Hartford. Each of these lines as independents had sepa- rate and distinct communication rates based on different mileage fees. Af- ter the New York, New Haven and Hartford obtained control of these lines, it made appearance in the legis- lature and asked for authority to change communication rates and this re- quest has been made in every session of the legislature for several years but the request of the company has all ways been denied.
 The company in the legislative hearings has made it clear that it was not it's purpose to increase commit l tation rates under the authority asked but for the purpose of adjusting rates as there was such a different change in communication rates due to the ta- king over of what had been the in- dependent systems.
 Because of the increase in commit tation rates, and the existence of the statute of this state, the attention of Director General McAdoo is to be call ed to the situation by lawyers here, as it exists in Connecticut. A lawyer in speaking of the matter said that all who buy communication books should make protest against the payment of the increase in the former rate and then, should it be that the federal gov ernment decides that the increase is not justified, under the existing law of this state they will be in posi- ton to make claim for a ref and of the excess paid under the advanced l rate.