New-York tribune., 1918-08-05

were cancelled without notice. Now
they are putting them back on q much
higher basis, but the necessity for
reinstating them is recognized.
"The administration closed up the
off-line Offices and practically placed
large share of the smaller industries
without information as to their rates
and service. For instance. how can
small concern in Chicago get any in
formation regarding the Missouri Pa
cifc Railroad down in Arkansas?
There is no one in Chicago that has
any interest in the Missouri Pacific
Railroad Furthermore, how can
shipper in Chicago get information
regarding the freight rates and service
of the Delaware & Hudson in the
East? There is no representative Of
the D. T. II. in Chicago, or no rail-
road administration representative
who has any interest in the D. & H.
"The move has been made now to
organize service bureaus which will
put back twice as many men. as the
railroads succeeded in dismissing, and,
furthermore, those that take charge
interest in the off lines as the present
railroad administration representatives
have in lines other than the lines they
are strictly connected with.
"There is no cne at the present mo-
ment that can give any information
regarding tariffs or rates, and unless
an industry has an established rate
bureau in charge Of competent hands
it is practically unable to get any in
formation. No one will take any re-
sponsibility for any information that
istration either at Washington or else
where.
"The right the shippers had hereto
fore to route their freight over the
lines which would give them some
reasonable service has now been abol-
ishcd, and they have no means of
knowing after their freight starts how
it will be routed or when it will reach
destination.
"1he package car service, which op-
Grated from large jobbing centres to
the various consuming sections, has
ished altogether.
RAILROAD men have reached a point
where they are indifferent to any sug-
gestions which may be made by ship
pers, boards of trade or state officials.
The consolidation of railroads has
brought about situation where no
one has any interest in any traffic of
any character or description. The
shipper can either ship it under the
methods now in effect or he can get q
wagon and haul it. New theories are
being developed every moment as to
how business can be handled to the ad-
vantage of the railroad. Shippers have
not been considered.
An Attempt at Remedy
Lately there has been a move to give
the shippers little voice in the mat
ter, and committees were formed to
listen to rate complaints and other
complaints, and it was arranged that
where five men would sit on the COM
mittee three Of them would be railroad
men and two Of them would be rep.
resentatives Of some shipping body. It
was arranged that the railroad men
would be put on a salary on per
manent basis, while tho shippers were
invited to give their services free. as
they were helping to win the war
1t was then arranged that any FINDINGS
OF the shippers and railroad men
should be submitted to WASHINGTON
where the railroad men who have fnll
control Of the matter would decide
whether the findings Of the shippers
representatives were worthy of any
consideration. This has just been ar,
ranged In the last week and will nr
doubt be great step in the progress
OF recognizing the shippers"