The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-06

practically speaking. in the official
 classification territory was congcsted.
 while all the southern territory were op-
 erating trains daily, thereby proving con- clusively that carriers in the southern
 territory were efficiently operated and
 that their rates were remunerative. In
 stead of first relieving the congestion
 in official classification territory and giving those carriers an opportunity to demonstrate their earning capacity, 2 uniform advance of from a minimum of 20 per cent to Q maximum of more than POO per cent was placed on all freight traffic, which included that ham died by the prospering, dividend-paying lines of the south which. as l stated were earning more net revenues thaS
 ever before in their history, and which, in some instances. were found by the
 interstate commerce commission to more than were reasonable.
 PEN NALIZING SOUTHERN SHIPPER Not content with the heavy general advance which was forced upon southern traffic, although 1t was not equitable the railroad administration now pro- poses. through the adoption of uniform classification, to further penalize south ern shippers by further increasing their rates, thus placing tho shippers doing business In that territory at still fur ther disadvantage in meeting competi- ton from the, north, east and west. In addition. it is now proposed to cancel all rates in the south and substitute therefor proposed mileage scale. which would result in the disruption of all trade conditions, thereby bringing about a gem ] eral reorganization, which may mean ] business stagnation and the building up over night of new jobbing centers and the ruiHang of investments representing millions of dollars.
 1 "Before such radical changes are made it would be we'll that MT. McAdoo look into the situation himself. or have a separate. unbiased commission to do SC for him, for it is difficult for. certain men now in authority to know when they have gone far enough.
 REACTION TO COME
 Southern shippers are permitting these very unreasonable rates to be made eff fective simply for patriotic reasons, And sooner or later reaction win surely come. Southern representation at Wash ington may make an iesue of what the administration Is doing, especially when 1t is pointed out that the southern traf. fic is paying by far more than it's pro.
 portionate part of transportation charges of the country, and by so doing Southern industries are being unduly discriminate ed against. and a general business de- precision is, certain to follow.
 This matter. the traffic official said. should be called to the attention of the members of Congress from the south be- ! fore it is too late. It Is understood that traffic officials of the south held meet I ing in Atlanta yesterday. at which this ! question was discussed. and 1t Is prob1 | able, as a result of the conferences that strong representations will be made not only to the railrdAd administration. but to the southern deelgations in Congress l IL was pointed out by this official that I classifications differ in the different { classification territories and that while
 comparatiyely few changes would result l in the east and the west from the sdop- | ton of the uniform classification, prac- I ticaliy every commodity would be af- Elected In ths south.