South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-09-04

The critics OF railway operation
luder government management haze
1een answered IN a statement re-
emily issued bv Theodore II. Price.
who Is now actuary 10 the United
states railroad administration Al
Washington.
SIR Price briefs the grievances OF
lie various compliments as follows:
l. The advance in freight and
passenger rates.
e. The abolition or the through
3ul OF lading for export and the
cancellation Of export and import
ates
o. The dismissal or 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
orerIou. allowed IN the matter Of
freight charges which must now be
nald before or upon the delivery Of
be goods unless the consignee gives
bond that viii protect the govern
ment
8. The difficulty Of getting infor-
nation regarding tariffs and rates.
9. The discontinuance of the
package car service between import
ant jobbing and consuming sections.
g. The withdrawal OF the ship
pers' right 10 route their freight as
they choose.
Mr.. Price also quotes the follow
ing editorial from a prominent daily
newspaper.
we have now some details as 20
the first 1--WE months OF government
operation of the railways. and while
it is far too soon to pass any judg-
meut. TWO facts stand out very
strongly 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
mileage than i'm 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 num-
her or available LOGON olives and
cars remained practically the same
as In the first part OF 1917 There
was no Increase. The roads were
taken over for their supposed inefl-
cheney But the government, with
AN its money and power has found
&c easier 20 acquire experience than
TO increase the efficiency OF the rail-
road 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
co. the country have had TO resort
e. the highly expensive carriage 10y
motor trucks over country roads
This may have been unavoida BILE.
and the railway administration, like
the tuel bureau may have done
everything possible II may prove
,ts wonderful efficiency and high su-
periOrity in time We merely point
oJt there is no evidence yet that the
p Dh ~ ittllFIIA IfNl VI tllAllN l4U
miracles that might not have been
expected OF the roads themselves. if
they had simply had enough money
90 go ahead in their ordinary way"
Mr.. Price says that this is a fairly
complete summary OF the criticism
hat rs being directed at government
administration OF the railroads and
after quoting the statistics upon
which 10 plrports 10 be based he
adds that while they show that the
number OF tons of freight carried
one mile dur.ag the first I'VE months
0f the year was 0.6 per cent less than
during the same months last wear.
the, also show that the loaded ca
mileage travelled i'm the carriage Of
this freight was 552.S6S.512 miles. Or
SO per cent less than the distance
travelled under private management
Doc the carriase OF nearly the same
ton mileage OF revenue freight dur
ing the same period I'm 1917.
Dealing with the reduction i'm the
average daily mileage Of locomotives
and freight cars. he points out that
his is due 20 the heavier train load
and car load and explains that IL is
not economically practicable 20 haul
heavy trains as fast as light ones
and thlt the railroad administration
las adopted the policy OF loadins
Grains 20 capacity and moving them
on schedules that are not too fast To-
De maintained
This showing he claims. indicates