New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-04
Improved Service
Ut Railroads Not
Easy, Says Elliott
Will Demand Much Self
Denial and Courage, He
Announces; New Rates
Form Basic Platform

Howard Elliott, chairman Of the
Northern Pacific Railway, who was also
chairman of the rate committee of the
Association of Railway Executives, in
statement yesterday declared that
the rate decision of the Interstate
commerce Commission, though favor
aoie, lis not rubbing of an Aladdn's
lamp, so that communities. shippers,
travellers, employees and owners will at
once obtain their every wish" In
proved service and enlarged facilities
cannot be obtained, he asserted. with
out the display of courage and much
self-denial.
Commanding the efforts of the In
terstate Commerce Commission in car
rylng out the intention of the Cum
mins-Esch law and the decision of the
hallway Labor Board. Mr. Elliott said
the recent findings of these two bodies
make new platform for the trans
portauon system of The United States
which will have far-reaching effects on
the economic development and history
OF the country. In calling attention to
the eNigencies of the situation that
now confronts the railroads, Mr.. Ell
! lott said:
The transportation machine has
been undernourished for many years,
and particularly so for the last ten.
IN addition, the complications and dis
locations IN methods of maintenance
! ana operation that developed during
! the war and government control are
/ serious and can only be adjusted slow
~. TIE return of freight cars to the
owning reads and restoring them to
prc-war condition is one very large
task that is vital to shippers and rail-
roads alike.
"The great essentials Of the trans
ocI cI
complete repair and increased in ca
paclty and number before money, men
and material are used for non-essen-
tials that are desirable, but can wait.
lrackage, terminals, motive power,
cars. both freight and passenger; ia
cllltles for caring for equipment and
suitable working conditions for en-
ployees are behind the necessities Of
the country to-day, and we must pre-
pare now for the next uplift in bust
ness
1T is to be hoped, therefore, that
prosperous, progressive and ambitious
communities will not assume that this
decision of the commission furnishes
unlimited money for things like elab
crate passenger stations, grade separa-
tons and other non-essentials, and that
they will not make insistent demands
that such projects be undertaken ut
once Every dollar that the railroads
can save under the new rates and
under the new wages will be needed
70 make payments for interest, taxes
and reasonable dividends, so as to
sustain their credit and to do the es-
sential work above outlined. so that
the commerce of the country can he
moved satisfactorily.
The law and the commission both
say that operation must be honest, eff
fcient and economical. This, however,
can only be accomplished by having
individual consumers and producers Of
transportation honest, efficient and
economical. AS citizens, it is to be
hoped that all railroad users and work
ers Will carry out the spirit and the
letter Of the law and will help the
country by working hard and faithfully,
by conserving transp ortation, by elimi-
mating waste and by cooperating to
make the railroad system adequate
under the new law and the new con-
ditions
Suppose that the 100000 men in
the railroad service, from the water
BOY on the extra gang to the highest
executive, could save five cents a dav
by greater and more intelligent effort.
by greater care Of plant, materials and
fuel, by the elimination of waste. and
the adoption of improved methods. the
total saving would be s30,000,00o for
33O0-workday year. This is enough
to buy 400 heavy locomotives or 10000
freight cars. Suppose only an average
Of one hour day could be saved bv
shippers in loading and unloading the
100000 freight cars; this time for
S0O-w orkday year would be 100000. 600
car hours, or 100000 car days. or
100000 cars a year added to the avail
able supply Of the country without the
investment of new capital
citizens, whether in or out of RAILROAD
service, to obey the new transporta-
ton law in spirit and letter and to
work and save day in and dav out
until the wastage of the war is made
good and the transportation system