The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-03-02
Bunn's Report 7o Reuiew Wo ork Of Association
 For Year Just Ended
Closer Relation Between Shippers and Carriers Is Advo- cated by Traffic Association Manager in Annual Re-
 port Which Will Be Submitted to Directors

In his annual report which will be submitted to the Birmingham Traffic association at it's meeting a few days hence, Secretary O. l.. Bum reviews the work accomplished by the association during the year 1918, and makes cer- tain recommendations for the future. He shows that the results obtahed Pr the members and for the shipping pub lie have we'll demonstrated the worth of the association and make a strong argument for it's continuance, even oil a much larger scale than at present.
 In an introductory paragraph MT. Bum advocates a closer relation be- tween the shippers and the carriers with the view to eliminating antaS- onistic clements and bringing about harmony and good feelnig for the mu- tual benefit of both sides. Referring to government control of the railroads he says:
 GOVERNMENT CONTROL
 "It is also the opinion of certain well informed business men that the ship ping public as well as the rail carriers themselves have derived great deal of good from the experience gained during the period through which the government has exercised directorship  at least been forcibly and fully dem onstrated that federal directorship. as administered, cannot be termed com plete success; to prevent repetltloh of conditions under which the carriers were operating just prior to the war, they must be permitted to earn such revenue as is needed to properly maintain them so that under all future ' conditions they can readily meet the emergency without being compelled to ask for or require governmental aid
 Tt is believed that all rate making ana regulating tribunals will more fully recognize the above facts in the future than they have in the past, and if the carriers themselves Will row only grasp the presented oppor- t1nity and lend their hearty co-opera- ton to the perfecting of transporta- tion system equal to the best with rates properly aligned and all commer- ciai centers placed upon dn equal pass, many of the present troubles or the skipper, as well as those of the carrier, will disappear. Government director ship has developed many innovations, some of which the carriers should and no doubt will retain and others that probably should be discarded. The pool int; of equipment; the short line routing cf traffic; joint ticket selling agencies and some few other similar changes sLould, we believe, be maintained. Ire pl esent system of making .ates through regiona. committe also seems t.. be a progressive method of satis- fat torily handling matters of that knd and no doubt some similar arrange ments will be continued"
 Taking up the statistical matter, MT. Bum shows that in 1918 the assocla- ton quoted 3S,491 rates. compared with 50,001 in 1917, a decrease of 11.505, which he explains was due to the fact tha. in 1917 several thousana rates were quoted for use in litigation be- tween shippers and carriers.
 WORK OF ASSOCIATION
 In the matter of expense bills the re- port shows that in 1918 the association checked 44,355 and discovered errors amounting to sf3,O79.S3, compared with 22602 checked in 1917, with errors dis- covered amounting to $3737.60, an in crease of 21,75S checkings and $9S41.7S in errors.t 5E 8
 Claims filed through the association in 1918 were 3360, amounting to $Ioo,- 11377 and in 1917, TIA claims, amount ing to S15,257.3S, an increase Of Ao46