Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-22
URGES WATER TRAFFIC
TO RELIEVE RAILROADS
kruttschnitt Tells Senators TO
Link Benefits of Private
and /. S. Control

Washington, Jan. 2t.--Use of water
routes to relieve crowded railroad lines.
consolidation of ticket offices, unifca'ion
OF terminals and pooling of repair shops
we're amng the wartime reforms insti-
tutcd by the railroad administration. en-
dorsed as worthy of continuation by Ju-
Illus Kruttschnit chairman OF the South
ern Pacific, in testimony today before
the Senate Interstate Commerce Com
mittee. Mr.. Kruttschnitt appeared in
support of the railroad legislation pro-
posed by the association of railway cx-
eCutivCs and was the first of several
prominent railroad officials whom the
committee plans to hear.
Standardization Of equipment for all
railroads under rate control, proposed
by the railroad administration. was said
by kruttschnitt 10 he inadvisabIe.
Standardization of locomotives is un.
wise and unnecessary. he said. To OBJ
tain maximum efficiency Of locomotive
and corresponding minimum of cost of
transportation demands close study OF
the alignment and grade systems, fuel.
etc. AS these features are diffe rent for
each line no locomotive can be designed
to serve all lines with maximum chi-
cheney.
"rhe standardization of passenger
equipment is not necessary, as IT seldom
leaves the rails of TIE owner. Stndard-
ization of certain classes of freight cars
/ is desirable but Should not be obtained
! at "a sacrifice of transportation efficiency
of the owning line by forcing it to use
"A car unsuitable for its traffic
The short routing Of traffic. Mr.. krutt-
schnitt said, had not resulted in as large
benefits as had been claimed.
"'rhe benefit of this practice. which
deprives the shipper of choice Of routes
and competitive facilities and service,
is very much exaggerated he SAID
The director general says that. during
"A year of Federal control. l6,S63.633 car
miles have been saved in the eastern
and northwestern regions alone. which is
only two-tenths of per cent of the total
freight car miles run in these regions
In summarizing the attitude of the
railroad executives toward railroad
legislation. Mr. Kruttschnitt said:
"Profting by experience acquired
under both private and government
operation, the carriers earnestly desire
to provide n better system of operation
by combining the initiative and benehcia
features of competition inherent II
private ownership with the dement's
developed during operation ny '"' e'N
ernmcnt unhampered by legal reStrlc'
tons
ST. Louis. No.. Jan. 2l--tBy y. P)--
The Mississippi Valley Waterways AS
socation launched its campaign today
to urge government appropriation OF
approximately s400.o00,oOO for the
development of all inland waterways
throughout the United States. OF tht;
amount. 81 1000, 900 will be required foi
the Mississippi and It's tributaries, Jane:
y. smith, president of the association
said.
The plan of the association "ontem
plates a twelve-foot channel from 81
Louis TO New orleans and nlnc-foo
channel from here to st. Paul, MINI. TIL,
plan also Contemplates the improvement
and operation os the Tennessee, Ohio
White, Illinois, Missouri, Rcd anC
Arkansas Rivers.