Newark post., 1918-09-04
GOVERNMENT
ADMINISTRATION OF
RAILWAYS
A Reply to its Critics

under Government management
have been answered in a statement
recently issued by Theodore H.
Price, who is now actuary to the
United States Railroad Admins
tration at Washington.
Mr.. Price briefs the grievances
of the various complainants as fol-
lows
/. The advance in freight and
passenger rates.
2. The abolition of the through
bill of lading for export freight
and the cancellation Of export and
import rates.
3. The dismissal of solicitors
who "took an interest in the hand
ling of the traffic" and the consoli-
dation of freight and ticket offices.
4. The withdrawal of the credit
previously allowed in the matter of
freight charges which must now
be paid before or upon the delivery
of the goods unless the consignee
gives a bond that will protect the
Government.
5. The difficulty of getting in
formation regarding tariffs and
rates.
6. The discontinuance of the
package car service between i'm
portant jobbing and consuming
sections.
7. The withdrawal of the ship
pers' right to route their freight as
they chose.
Mr.. Price also quotes the follow
ing editorial from a prominent
daily newspaper:
1--WE have now some details as
to the first five months of Govern
ment operation of the railways |;
and while it is far too soon to pass
any judgment, two facts stand out
very strongly and are worthy of
note.
"The first is that in these five
months, on the face OF the figures,
the roads carried slightly less tom
age than in 1917. This, in spite
of the tremendous pressures Of war
and of the known increase in many
lines of production, is certainly
very significant. Extra traffic has
, been carried in other ways, large
ly, as we know, by motor trucks.
"The second fact is that the
number of available locomotives
and cars remained practically the
same as in the first part of 1917
There was no increase. The roads
were taken over for their supposed
I inefficiency. But the Government
r with all it's money and power, has
f found it easier to acquire expert
! ence than to increase the efficiency
! of the railroad machine.
, "After five months of unlimited
O credit and power there is no in
o crease in cars or locomotives, o,
y rail movement, or tonnage hauled
, To move their increased traffic tn
industries of the country have hat
. to resort to the highly expensiv
= carriage by motor trucks owe
- country roads. This may have bee1
y, unavoidable, and the railway ad
y ministration, like the fuel bureu
may have done everything possible
. 1t may prove its wonderful effici
! ency and high superiority in time
We merely point out there is n
evidence yet that the Government
is performing no miracles tha
might not have been expected Q
the roads themselves, if they ha
lie simply had enough money to G
y ahead in their ordinary way"
< Mr.. Price says that this is fai,
n ly complete summary of the crit
e. cism that is being directed at Go,
IN ernmental administration of tt
e. railways, and after quoting til
to statistics upon which it purpor1
ee to be based he adds that while the
IN show that the number OF tons {
c. freight carried one mile during tt
ne first five months of the year w;
lr O6 per cent less than during Il
ne same months last year, they al:
ne show that the loaded car freigl
ne mileage travelled in the carriage
to this freight was $685. ,512 mile
ne or 8.6 per cent less than the dis
Y. ance Travelled under private ma
or agement in the carriage of near
the same ton mileage OF reven,
an freight during the same period
hit 1917.
rs Dealing with the reduction in t
ce average daily mileage of locom
he tives and freight cars, he poin