Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-12-21
MONOPOLY IS
CREATED BY
MERGER,
CLAIM
Two Members of the |. C. c.
Dissent From the Majority
Opinion and Issue a
CaustiC Report.
ALL COMPETITION IS
DESTROYED, THEY SAY
Position Is Taken, However,
That the Public Can Best
Be Served by One Con-
solidated Company.

Washington, Dec. 20. -
Authority was granted to-
day by the interstate COM
merce commission for per-
manent consolidation of the
transportation business and
properties of the Adams,
American, Well Fargo and
company and Southern Ex-
press companies into the
American Railway Express
company. The commission
said that it was its belief
that the public would best
be served by one consolidat"
ed company serving all lines
with equal rates.
The permit granted by the COM
mission was based on an applica-
ton filed by the four express com
panies last March. Hearings were
held by the commission in August,
Commission Divided.
The commission divided on the
question of permitting the express
consolidation, effected by the rail-
road administration as war
measure. to be made permanent,
Commissioners McChord and Meyer
dissenting from the majority and
presenting a minority report writ
ten by the former.
The consolidation, the dissenting
report asserted, creates a monopo-
ly" and destroys every semblance
of competition.
The other members of the COM
mission declared they were of the
opinion and find that the public
interest will be promoted by the
consolidation"
Other Companies Barred.
at will now be practically inn
possible" declared the report
written by Commissioner McChord,
"for another company to enter tho
express business in competition
with the consolidated express COM
pany. We can, Of course, regulate
the rates and certain practices of
the American Railway Express
company but we will have no con-
troll over its attitude toward the
public. We cannot require it to
render to the public that efficiency
courtesy and fair dealing which
competition compels.
at is my view that the time had
come when the carriers should give
serious consideration to the con-
ducting OF the express business
themselves. That business had
reached such proportions that it Is
now a parasite on the freight traf-
fic of the railroads."
MoChord Also Dissents.
Commissioner McChord also dis
sented from the majority opinion
in that the commission had the
power to prescribe under what
manner the consolidation may be
effected and not merely grant it's
petition for a consolidation
The report Of the commission re-
cited that with the outbreak of the
war the express companies Included
in the present consolidation were
formed into the American Railway
Express company and took over the
express business Of the country a
the agent of the director general OF
railroads and that while thirty
three states appeared to protest
against the continuation of this
combine, the protests were based
on Inadequate service performed
by the joint express companies,
which the consolidated company
admits was poor due to labor con-
ditions. The commission accepted
the contention of the companies
that service was performed more
under the combined
manage ment than could have been
possible under separate manage
ment.
How Suits Are To Be Settled.
The commission ruled that suits
pending against the various COM
panies must be settled by the courts
and not by the Interstate Com
merce Commission. While de
ploring' the treatment accorded by
certain express companies to claim
ants of damages and the practice of
only accepting service in suits at
their offices in New York, the COM
held II could not pass upon
that phase Of the claim,