Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-20
|. {. c. To GIVE To
ROADS DECISION ON
TRAIT FIG CONTROL
Rail Officials Hurry to WASH
ington to Confer : Cars
Are Being Moved to Re-
Iieve Tie Up


tives of the principal railroads are
hurrying to Washington today to
confer with members Of the inter-
state commerce commission in con-
nection with the nationwide traffic
congestion which is blamed for high
prices in many localities.
The I. C. C. today or tomorrow is
expected to reply to the petition of
the executives asking it to assume
authority to issue freight priority
lists.
Backed by state utility commits
sions, shippers organizations and
chambers of commerce, the commits
sion now is making extended efforts
to relieve the congestion.
Trains of empty grain and coal
, cars are being rushed across the
country under SPECIAL orders.
At least 10000 empty grain cars
will be needed in the southwest
June Is to handle the beginning of
the 1920 grain shipments. These
cars are being billed straight
through from hundreds Of points in
new England and the Atlantic coast
states.
From the west long trains of
empty gondolas are being routed to
the coal fields of Pennsylvania, Hill
nois, Ohio and Indiana. This Is in
tended to increase production Of
bituminous coal which during April
dropped off between 1000, 300 and g.
200 tons q week.
Reports on CONGESTION
The interstate commerce commits
sion now is getting detailed reports
of the extent of the terminal con-
gestion from mayors of cities, state
utility commissions and it's own in
spectors stationed in all big cities
where important terminals are To-
Gated IA ,...s
John Barton Payne, secretary of
the interior. is expected to sit in
the railroad conferences in his new
capacity as director general of the
railroad administration. Mr.. Payne
succeeds Walker d. Hines, who re-
signed.
Secretary McGinty of the I. c. C.,
today denied reports \ contained in
stories published by New DIRK news
papers that the commission has
taken over control of operation of
the railroads.
"On Saturday" said Mr.. McGinty,
''The railroad executives petitioned
the commission to take control of
car service. The commission has not
yet made any decision on this petit
ton. The commission will take the
A.
if the situation becomes more seri-
Gus.
"The commission now, however,
has assumed a large direction Of car
service" ,..
Control of car service means con-
troll Of the routing of cars and the al
lotment of them to shippers.
Under the law, railroads may not
discriminate against any one class
of freight to the exclusion of an
other. Now, however. owing to the
car shortage, all the freight cannot
be- moved. But the railroads must
accept for shipment any freight Of
fered no matter If automobiles or
some other non-essential are to be
carried ahead of food or fuel.
Embargoes Suggested
When the roads Saturday put in
their petition to the interstate COM
merce commission they asked the
commission to give them authority
to refuse non-essential freight where
it would interfere with the carrying
of food and coal and essential
freight. Under the plan proposed
by the executives, the interstate
car service and car distribution. 1t
will not be government control as it
was understood during the war when
the government arranged all time
tables and took care of financial OPP
eratioas and Improvements includ-
ing the purchasing of new equipment.
In part the interstate commerce
commission already has assumed di-
rection of car service. Yesterday,
it announced that trains of empty
cars were being routed to the grain
and coal Centers. This was done by
the railroads presumably with the
interstate commerce commlSslonS
consent Shippers, under the law,
might bring action against the rail
roads which refuse their shipments
in order TO send these empty cars to
the grain districts. However, it is
unlikely that shippers will protest
because their protests would have
to be filed with and decided by the
interstate commerce commission.
The interstate commerce commits
sion, under, the plan, also impose
embargoes to prevent movements of
all but necessary freight
If the commission accepts the comu
plete proposals of the executives it
will mean government control of one
branch of railroad operation, namely.
commerce commission would issue
could refuse to handle all except
food and fuel and other essential
freight.
Bankers Urge Speed
Immediate movement CT piled up
freight is necessary to reduce price
levels and relieve the strain on the
Country's credit system, bankers to-
day informed Chairman Clark, Of the
&C mmission. Increased freight rates
was the principal RENE
dy propose to Mr.. Clark.
been meeting with the federal re-
serve board this week called on Mr..
Clark and presented a resolution en-
bodying recommendations adopted at
the bankers conference.
The same resolutions were pre-
scented to the United States shippin:
board.
The resolution declares:
That the whole country is suffer-
ing from imitation of prices ana
credit, that tkis condition can be re-
lieved by moving great stores of
piled UP at all impor-
can only be relieved through upbiuld-
in <rof "a iIroa6 rrndif mh