Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-02-08
Association Issues Statement
Clearly Defining Position
and Contentious of Peti-
TONERS

The Georgia Shippers association,
representing the shipping interests Of
Georgia in tie Georgia rate case now
pending before the railroad commission,
has aksed the commission to suspend Its
decision because of the fact that the
federal government has taken over the
railroads. The association Wednesday
gave out the following summary of the
contention of the shippers on this point,
and of their exceptions TO the commits
sion's decision as tentatively announced.
The shippers contend that govern
ment's control of railroad operation has
fundamentally changed the flow of traf-
fic, and that normal conditions will not
be restored for the duration of the war.
They contend that the government has
assumed full financial responsibility for
the railroads by guaranteeing to stock
holders a fair return upon their invest
ment.
They contend that the government has
further assumed responsibility for the
extensions and increases in equipment
needed by the railroads to handle the in
creased volume of traffic. Hence they
contend that it is not incumbent upon
the Georgia commission, or any other
state commission, to undertake a gen.
eral rate revision at this time. They re-
quest the commission to hold the entire
case in allegiance.
Should the commission, however, dis
agree with their view of the general
railroad situation and proceed with the
case, the shippers request an extension
of time to complete their analysis of the
commissions tentative decision. They
| claim that with their limited facilities
| they have not been able to completely
analyze the decision in the time which
has elapsed since the commission sub
mitted it to the shippers and the car
riers for analysis.
Besides their request for the COM
mission to withhold action because of
government control the shippers take
certain specific exceptions to the COM
missions tentative decision, and a bill
embodying these exceptions has been
| filed before the commission and is now
being argued by their counsel
Decentralization Opposed
First. they except to the reclassif-
| cation by the commission of class A
railroads. which includes the Georgia
| railroad, Atlanta & West Point and
Western & Atlantic. At present there
are four classes of railroads in Geor-
gia. being a, B, C and D. They charge
different set of rates according to
| their class. Clas A railroads, having
the largest earnings, charge the lowest
i
sion proposes to put class A and class
B roads in class c, which has the eff
| feet of substantially increasing their
| rates.
1.-The shippers except to this because
| they claim the class A roads did not
ask to be reclassifed. and submitted no
evidence showing they were entitled
! thereto. They claim the effect will be
| to increase the rates of these roads
very materially. They show that the
| Atlanta and West Point asked for ar
average increase of per cent in class
| rates from l to inclusive, while the
commission gives them an average in
crease of 23 per cent by the reclassifica
| ton. They show that the rates or
flour are increase 20 per cent, and rates
| on grain per cent. They show thai
the Western and Atlantic asked for al
| average increase of per cent, and the
commission gave it "a per cent, foul
| being increased "a per cent and gra1r
| % per cent. They show that the Geor'
| gia railroad asked for a readjustmeh
which made the same average rates
which it now charges, while the com
mission gave it an increase of IL pei
cent, flour being increased "a per CEN
and grain 10 per cent. They show thai
the rates prescribed by the commission
are higher from Rome and Dalton tC
Augusta than the existing rates IRON
| Nashville to Augusta
'As to class railroads, which IN
clude the Southern, Seaboard, Contra
of Georgia Atlanta, Birmingham IL AT
lantic, ETC., the shippers show that OF