New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-09
Lack of National
olicy Cripples
Rail Supply Trade
Equipment Business Is Be-
coming Denloralized and
General REIMBURSEMENT TO
Peace Retarded by Defer
nent of Purchases

The lack OF a national policy as to
who should pay for new railroad con-
struction and betterments is tending
to demoralize the railway supply in
dustry, according to officials of the
leading equipment companies of the
nation, who brought out this fact in a
symposium on the subject just COM
pleted by The Railauau AGE.
In summarizing the replies the jour
nal says: "All point out that the de-
ferment of railway purchases is i'm
peding and is going to impede in
greater degree the process of readjust-
ment in this important industry Some
say that in order to keep their men at
work they are manufacturing stock
ahead, others that they already spread
unemployment in the industry, and this
at time when conditions should be
just the opposite, so as to make it pos
sible to hire the men returning from
overseas"
Buying Minimum
The situation is aggravated by the
fact that for several years the railroads
have been getting along with a mini
mum of material and new equipment.
When the addition of new equipment
became necessary a few years ago with
the development of exceptionally heavy
traffic, it was impossible to obtain it
because SO much was being sent to
France and Russia, and after the
United States entered the war priority
orders shunted the necessary material
into ships and munitions.
w hen the armisuice was signed
The Railway Age" points out, at was
1elt IN many quarters that the transi-
tlon from war to peace conditions could
be very greatly helped by placing large
orders for railway material to take up
this deferred maintenance and to put
the roads back into the condition in
which they were prior to the war. For
various reasons the railroad admins
tTatlon mas cut down on purchases to
the very minimum, and this is working
great hardship on the railway supply
companies, many of which had assis ID
the government by the manufacture of
munitions and other war materials.
Now, instead of being able to take care
OF the boys who are coming back to
them from the army and navy, thew are
llnding 1t necessary to cut down their
forces, and many of them face an entire
shutting down of their plants if rail
road purchases are deferred much
longer"
Forced TO Close
b. f. Dimick, president of the Amer
ican Castings Company, of Birminc-
nam Ala. reported that his company
had found it necessary to close its
shops because of the suspension of
buying, saying: "Regardless of whether
/ the railroads are to remain under gov
eminent control for five years or TWEEN
ty-one months, the policy of the gov
eminent IN regard to railroad construc-
t,on and improvements should be sci
'ieo, otherWlse we can expect no rail
ROAD construction and very little rail
road betterments. That being the fact
manufacturing plants which are de-
pending on that source of supply must
necessarily go out or business"
FROM c. A. Seley, president Of the
american Flexible Bolt Company. of
. Gsnn1cago' comes this pithy statement:
fatrlotlc labor does not want charity.
railroad materials orders are not char
lty, but will solve manufacturers and
workers difficulties in the present cii-
sis"
II. II. Westinghouse. chairman of the
Westinghouse Air Brake COMPANY.
SAID: "As our industry is wholly dc
pendent upon orders for material con
nected with the maintenance and ex-
.o.oiOil vi Id!iTOau 1dcllltleS, 1t Will be
injured to the extent that a policy of
deferring purchases for railway main
tenance, renewals and betterments re
suits in less than normal expenditure
by the railroads for such purposes.
Necessarily, the pursuit of such a
course will greatly accentuate the diff
fculties of unemployment at time
when it would seem as if every incen-
tive should be afforded to existing en-
terrrises. to increase rather than
reduce production particularly those
contributing to the maintenance
and building up of our transpor-
tation system, which is vital
element of our national existence that
cannot live upon a starvation diet at
any time, and is especially in need of
constructive and Strengthening policy
rather than the reverse at this time
There is, no doubt, merit in the pro-
posal to start new governmental enter
prises for the purpose of giving en-
ployment to those who are seeking it,
but no greater assistance in that direc-
ton can be rendered than to enable
established industries TO completely
utilize their productive facilities"