Newark post., 1918-09-04

out that this is due 70 the heavier
train load and car load, and ex-
plains that it is not economically
practicable to haul heavy trains
as fast as light ones, and that the
Railroad Administration has adopt
ed the policy of loading trains to
capacity and moving them on
schedules that are not too fast to
be maintained.
This showing, he claims, indi-
Gates not inefficiency, but strik-
ing increase in the efficiency with
which the railroads are beng oper-
ated, and asserts 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 26.2 to 28.5 tons, or
8.8 per cent. If this ratio is main
tanned, it will be the equivalent of
an addition of 9.8 per cent, or Gill;
200 freight cars to the present
equipment of about 2,40O,00o cars,
and if the ratio of increase in the
train load, equal to 2.7 per cent, is
maintained, it will be the equiva
lent of adding about 1850 to the
present equipment OF some $4,000
locomotives of all sorts.
Surely this is better than buying
new cars and locomotives at time
when they can only be had at ex-
travagant prices and the manufac-
turing energies of the country are
overtaxed to provide the things re-
quired for the winning of the war.
Of the other items in the indict-
ment of government operation of
the railways referred to it Mr..
Price remarks:
|. That the advance in the cost
of transportation is less than the
advance in wages and the price of
almost every other commodity that
society requires.
2. That through bills of lading
for export cannot be issued be-
cause the Government has p re-
empted the ocean room and there
is no assurance that the goods can
be forwarded upon arrival at the
seaboard.
8. That as competition between
the railroads no longer exists there
is no occasion for competitive
solicitors and ticket offices and that
their abandonment will save the
railroads about $23,000,000 an.
nually.
4. That the Government is not
authorized to extend credit to con.
signees for the freight they owe
when the goods are delivered, anC
that it cannot exceed it's legal au
thority.
5. That a new and simplifiec
, classification and rate book has
been prepared and will be effective
and available as soon as the ship
pers themselves approve it.
: 6. That a continuance OF the
: package car service would have in
r volved a wasteful use OF facilitie!
I that are needed for the winning o.
! the war, and
7. That if shippers were allowed
to select the routes by which thei
freight would be carried, the eff
cheney and economy that are showl
to have been secured by re-routin!
: could not have been obtained.
S To this categorical refutation o
1 the grievances alleged by com
:, plainants whose attitude remind
S one of the couplet which runs
: "The good old times
All times are good when DID,"
and suggests that they are to b
q classed with the chronic reaction
: aries and opponents of progress,
r can only add that two months
1. close study of what has been an
e may be done under a unified mar
d agement toward increasing tn
e serviceable efficiency of the Amer
II can railways convinces me that tn
n wisdom of the Presidents actio
/ in taking over the transportatio
L. facilities of the country will /
e. cumulatively demonstrated as til
l. years roll by.