The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1918-10-04

previously allowed in the matter OF
freight charges which must now b
paid before or upon the delivery of
the goods unless the consignee gives
bond that will protect the Govern
ment.
3. The difficulty of getting infor-
nation regarding tariffs and rates.
6. The discontinuance of the pack
age car service between important
]obblng and consuming sections. :.
{. The withdrawal of the shippers
right to route their freight as they
| choose.
Nil. Price also quotes the following
editorial from a porminent daily
newspaper:
We have now some details as to
fEe flrst five months of government
operation of the railways; and while
1t is far too soon to pass any judy
ment, two facts stand out very
strongly and are worthy of note.
1.-The first is that in these five
months, on the face of the figures,
the roads carried slightly less ton
mileage 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, largely, as we
know, by motor trucks.
"The second fact is that the nun.
Der of available locomotives and cars
remained practically the same as in
the first part Of 1917. There was no
increase. The roads were taken ov-
er for their supposed inefficiency. But
the government, with all it's money
and power, has found it easier to ac-
quire experience than to increase the
efficiency of the railroad machine.
AFTER five months of unlimited
credit and power there is no increase
in cars or locomotives, or rail move
ment, or tonnage hauled. To move
their increased traffic the industries
of the country have had to resort to
the highly expensive carriage by mot
Or trucks over country roads. This
may have been unavoidable, and the
railway administration, like the fuel
bureau, may have done everything
possible. 1t may prove it's wonderful
efficiency and high superiority in
time. We merely point out there is
no evidence yet that the Government
is performing no miracles that might
not have been expected of the roads
themselves, if they had simply had
enough money to go ahead in their
ordinary way"
Mr.. Price says that this is fairly
complete summary of that criticism
that is being directed at Govern
mental administration of the rail-
ways, and after quoting the Stats
tics upon which it purports to be
based he adds that while they show
that the number of tons of freight
carried one mile during the first five
months of the year was 06 per cent
last year, they also show that the
loaded car freight was 552,868,512
miles, or SO per cent less than the
distance travelled under private man
agement in the carriage of nearly
the same ton mileage of revenue
freight during the same period in
1917.
Dealing with the reduction in the
average daily mileage of locomotives
and freight cars, he points out that
this is due to the heavier train load /
and( car load, and explains that it is
not economically practical to haul
heavy trains as fast as light ones,
and that the Railroad Administration
has adopted the policy of loading
trains to capacity and moving them
on schedules that are not too fast !.
to be maintained.
This showing, he claims, indicates
not inefficiency, but a striking in /
crease in the efficiency with which the !,
railroads are being operated, and as
serts that it is directly due to the |,
heavier loading of the freight cars
and the greater train load now pulled /,
by each engine.
He continues as follows:
The average carload has been in
creased from 1852 to 28.5 tons, or 8.S /
per cent. If this ratio is maintained,
it will be the equivalent of an addi- !,
ion of 8.8 per cent, or 211 200 freight (
cars to the present equipment of .
about 100000 cars, and if the ratio
of increase in the train load, equal to .
2.7 per cent, is maintained, it will be
the equivalent of adding about 1,750
to the present equipment of some