The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-23
HINES PROMISES
BETTER SERVICE
Says His Aim Will Be to I'm
prove Passenger Trans
pOrtatiOn.
TO RESTORE EFFICIENCY
Will Provide Adequate Infor-
nation for Public and
Increase Facilities.
TO RESTORE EFFICIENCY
Specid, Despdtch 10 The SuS.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 22-General i'm
provement of the railroad passenger
service of the country to restore the
comfortable travel conditions that pre-
vailed before the war is to be the aim
of Director General of Railroads Hines.
In an address to-day before the
American Passenger Traffic Associa-
ter what the outcome of the railroad
question might happen to be. he con-
sidered it the first duty of the Railroad
Administration and the railroads to
better passenger transportation SER
vice and to restore this service TO Its
former efficiency. Mr.. Hines said:
Whatever may be the future outcome
Jf the railroad problem think it must
70 perfectly clear to every thoughtful
nan that the public interest and every
private interest affected will be pro-
noted by the continued development and
the continued maintenance OF the best
possible railroad system from the stand
point OF rendering an adequate public
service.
course Is Plain to Him.
so whatever any individual view may
be as to how the question ought ulti-
| mately be solved our road lies straight
and plain before us to keep on giving
the best public service and OF finding
ways OF improving it. For however the
matter is>ultimately solved whatever we
do In that direction will be for the
! -
! At OF every interest affected by railroad
operation.
THE war and Its hardships are ovei
| and the hardships from the standpoint
| of the passenger service were of course
| very serious. People did not have ade,
quate space. there was no opportunity
| to give them adequate Information In al
! cases. and in a great many ways they
were subjected to serious Inconvenience
| Now that the war is ended we mus
| endeavor to reestablish the same con
1 venient and comfortable form OF pas
! senger service which was available be
! fore, and we must do everything ",
/ can to find within reason ways il
| which to make that service more con
| yenent and more comfortable than |
| was before.
| Il am not gong INTO uetalIS because
!, they will be discussed by others mucl
better than l could discuss them will
you. but have particularly in mind til,
| point of providing adequate infor
nation for the public, the point o
seeing that the public Is treated witt
courtesy and the point of seeing tha
there are facilities adequate for com
| Portable travel"
7 Thinks Rates VIII Remain Up.
! WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.--Director CT en-
eral Hines said to-day that present indi
cations pointed TO a reduction OF fre!gh
traffic this year. and consequently he di
not expect any great reduction in tn
general level OF rates during the year
No definite conclusion regarding tn
| future movement of rates can b
reached at this time, Mr.. Hines added
because the question OF how much traf
fc the railroads will have this year /
largely a matter of speculation.
william G.. McAdoo. before retiring a
Director G General. said II the volume o
| traffic in 1919 continued as in 1913.
might be possible to lower freigh
rates late In the year
The falling on OF traffic in war mate
rails Is considered the principal reaso
| for a prospective reduction in freigh
! TRANSFORMATION.