Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1918-08-01
SMALL TOWNS TO
BOOM AFTER
/ THE WAR
Small Cities Will Be Ideal
Place for Laboring Man
nder New Rate Plan

Back to the country town should
be the trend of the industrial recon-
struction after the war, according
to Interstate Commerce Commission
er McChord, who, in an interview
today unqualifedly Endorsed pro-
posal for immediate preparation for
REIMBURSEMENT Of conditions Of nation
al life which would be made neces-
sary upon the conclusion of peace.
Commissioner McChord says rail-
road determinations and other forces
have abnormally developed Chicago,
New York, Philadelphia and Pitts
burg as manufacturing centers, but
that with government control of the
railways, terminating harmful COM
petition, there is now no reason why
rate inequalities should not be re-
moved and an industrial decentral-
ization organized which will revive
manufacturing in small cities and
create better living conditions for the
workers.
"There are many considerations
that dictate relocation of our manu-.
featuring industries" said Mr.. Nc
Chord. "In the first place it costs
more to do business in city than
in the country. Land values and costs
of construction Of plants, taxes, etc,
constitute charges that must be met
from earnings. It costs more to live
in a city than in the country.
What Workmen Desires
A lower wage payment in the coun-
try than in the city would enable
the workman to secure for comforts
Of life, to clothe his family better
and educate them more adequately
If the factory is located near the raw
product there is saving in transporta-
ton costs, which will be reflected
in net earnings.
eff wage scales are to be read
justed downward to meet conditions
in times of peace, the wider diffusion
of factories presents an alluring way
out. What the workman desires, and
what he has the right to demand, is
opportunity to live in comfort. Re-
duction in the rate of his daily wage
means, as he now sees it, lessened
opportunity to secure to himself and
hi sfanlily those necessities which go
to make comfort in daily life. In
most any country town Of 1900 or
more population that might be named
in the Middle West or the South there
is opportunity to live better and en-
JOY more Of the real comforts of life,
at materially lower wages than even
an approach to the same state of
livelihood which can be secured in
any congested manufacturing center.
Equalize Freight Rates
ssThoughtful study should now be
given the equalization Of rates for
freight transportation, and as to
whether higher rates should for the
future be permitted for shorter than
for longer distances over the same
line or route. The shorter being in
cluded within the longer distance.
and whether combinations of rates
and transit privileges that now un-
duly favor certain jobbing and pune
tion points should be cancelled and
reasonable through rate be establish
ed to al points.
Transportation by boat on our
rivers and coast lines should be en-
couraged to relieve rail carriers at
eongested cities and ports. Steps
have already been taken under feder.
al control to divert traffic from con-
eested north Atlantic ports to those
Of the south and on the Gulf Of
Mexico, Rates should be made and
facilities provided, so that each port
or the United States from Galveston,
Texas. 60 Bangor, Maine, shall receive
It's share Of traffic under the most
economical transportation condit.
ions. Relatively the same facilities
should be furnished the factory that
ships one carload day as one that
ships ten or more carloads. The
opportunity to do 3 manufacturing
business profit should be afforded
at every point in the country. The
opportunity to do manufacturing
business at a profit should be afforded
at another point in the country. The
supply of raw material, and the pos
mble field Of consumption will die.
tate the locating.
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