The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-05-31
hines OPPOSED TO
INCREASE IN RATES
ON THE RAILROADS

WASHINGTON, May 30.-when d.
rector General Hines goes before con-
gresE I'M the next day or two to argue
for tho appropriation asked to finance
thesDanroads he win not urge continued
government control The director gen.
eral Is still Of the opinion that i've.
year government control would be edS
vfsa62o to give plenty Of time for per-
mRnenf solution of the railroad prob
lem. butshe has,defnitely abandoned the
f1ve-year control plan on the ground
that public sentiment Is for a return Of
the roads 20 private operation.
While tho director general has made
no formal statement on the subject, and
Is not expected to inradvance OF his ap-
pearance ON Capitol hill his views are
definitely known.
II Dc. likewise knoWnyfhat the director
general Is convinced that the present
level OF Railroad rates in the United
StateS-is not sufficiently high to meer
tho costs OF operation on the present
basis OF business. He is convinced.
however. that an increase in rates as not
advisable at this time because Of the
unsettled situation and the prospect OF
such an Increase in business that tho
Eoadsxwm be~scarcely able to carry l..
Mr.. Hines will so before congress
his estimate -of-$1, 200, 100000 which has
been asked for to meet the present sit
uation. There is"no doubt that the qucs-
ton or rates. services and costs will DO
Drought up at that time.
With regard to the rates MI. Hines
takes the position that increases to date
have not been as great as in any COM
mercial line and he is convinced that
had the railroads been under private
control during tho war they would have
been bankrupt or the rates would re
much higher than they are now. Rates,
10 points out, Increased rs per cent,
whfle Other prices jumped as much "a
100 per cent For this reason he de-
ciafeSrfreiYAt' rates are relatively lower
today than before the war. They like
wise represent a smaller percentage OF
the cost.m commodities. Therefore the
director eenera1 Is inclined to reason (
furfhar-fncreRseewuoul not deter fre,gh:
movement.
It waa-arEounce64 today that tho war
flnsuco eorDorEt3on had advanced a
totaI Of $1E1r2S00 to the railroads
under the recent authorization by cum
Eress~for Tho extension OF such credits.
A. &a1ulRGtnn complete up to May II
shows advances to twenty-six roads
with Tho Northern Pacific leading the
list Of ooFrowersVwfth total of $500
600. Tho Baltimore & Ohio and the I'LL
noia Central have each received S1.70n.-
900. Other borrowers are the Central
Railroad Of New Jersey. S693.60O: Phil
adelph1a g. Reading, S1.000,0O0: Lehigh
Valley, $4,000; Boston & Maine s!16.-
500; Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh.
SEf3,6D0; Central Vermont. slc8,SO0,
Chesapeake & Ohio. $4,000; Chicago e.
Alton, 100000; Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy, $3.50. 900; Chicago. Rock Island
q Pacific. $S3s. 300; Delaware & Hudson.
s75S, 900; Hooking Valley. 100000: In
ternational & Great Northern. 1887 200:
Missouri, Kansas & Texas. $4,000;
New York, New Haven & Hartford. ST.
30, 900; New York. Susquehanna 4
Western. 100000; Pere Marquette.
$40, 900; San Antonio & Arkansas Pasn.
$4,000: Spokane. Portland e. Seattle.
100000: Virginian railway. S775.00o:
Wabash. $4,000; Western Maryland.
S2l3,ooo,