The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1918-09-05

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Governments: ADMNIsTsAmos
0T:THE RAILROADS
A Reply to Its Critics
The critics Of railway operation
under Government management have
been answered in q statement recent
" issued by Theodore H. Price, who
is now actuary to the United States
Railroad Administration at Washing
ton.
Mr.. Price briefs the grievances of
the various complaintants as follows:
1. The advance in freight and pas
senger 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 handling of
the traffic" and the consolidation 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 Govern
ment.
5. The difficulty of getting inform
alton regarding tariffs and rates.
6. The discontinuance of the pack
age car service between important
jobbing and consuming sections. 81
z. The withdrawal of the shippers
right to route their freight as they
choose.
Mr.. Price also quotes the following
editorial from a prominent daily
newspaper:
I'VE have now some details as tt
the first five months of government
operation of the railways; and while
it is far too soon to pass any iudg
ment, two facts stand ont very stron,
ly and are worthy of note.
The first is that in these five
months, on the face Of the figures. the
roads carried slightly less ton mile
age than in 1917. This. in spite o
the tremendous prassu-es of war ant
of the known increase in many lines
of production. is certainty very signi
ficant. Extra traffic has Leen carrie;
in other ways. largely. as we know u!
motor trucks
1.-THE second fact is that the number
of available locomotives and cars re
manned practically the same as in til,
first part of 1917. There "as TO in
crease. The rolh.' were taken ovel
for t',eir Supposed inaficient.. FIT
the government. with all its none!
and power. has found it easier to &C
CURE expe.: a,:uo than to increase til,
efficiency of the railroad machine.
after five months of unlimited ere
dit and power there is no increase il
cars or locomotives, or rail movemen
or tonnage hauled. To move their in
creased traffic the industries of tn
country have had to resort to tn,
highly expensive carriage by motto
trucks over country roads. This ma!
have been unavoidable, and the rail
way administration, like the fuel bur
eau, may have done everything posi-
BILE. 1t may prove its wonderful eff
ficiency and high superiority in time
We merely point out there is no evi
dence yet that the Government is per
forming miracles that might not hav'
been expected of the roads themselve
II they had simply had enough none.
to 60 ahead in their ordinary way"
Mr.. Price says that this is fairl.
complete summary of the criticism
that is being directed at the Govern
mental administration of the railway
and after quoting the statistics upol
which 1t purports to be based he add
that while they show that the numbe
of tons Of freight carried one mil
during the first five months of tn
year was 0.6 per cent less than durin,
the same months last year, they ais,
show that the loaded car freight mi
leage travelled in the carriage of thi
freight was 552,s6S,512 miles, or s.,
less than the distance travelled under
private management in the carriag'
of nearly the same ton mileage Of rev
enue freight during the same perio,
in 1917.
Dealing with the reduction in tn,
average daily mileage of locomotive,
and freight cars, he points out tina
this is due to the heavier train loa,
and car load, and explains that 1t i,
not economically practicable to hau