The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-02-07
FIGHTING FOR FREIGHT PARITY.


been given to formal letter to the Railroad Ad-
minstration from Daniel Willard, president OF the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad announcing that the
trunk lines serving New York and North Atlantic
ports intend to fight the export freight rates
accorded to the South Atlantic and Gulf ports by
the Railroad Administration.
The committee is made up Of representatives OF
commercial organizations in Chicago. St. Louis, St.
Paul. Detroit, Dies Moines, Kansas City, Memphis,
New Orleans, Pensacola Charleston Brunswick, Gin
cinnati Minneapolis, Omaha, Louisville Houston,
Mobile. Wilmington, Savannah Jacksonville.
The committee points out that the intention OF
Mr. Willard in behalf all the eastern carriersthe
New York Central, Pennsylvania, Baltimore and
Ohio, and the Erie. enjoying the bulk Of the ex
port haul through northeastern ports-to lead a
fight against the outlets TO the from the
Middle West and the trade routes recently es-
tabshed is an attempt to force the Middle West to
limit its shipping to the North Atlantic and to stife
competition on the part of the other ports.
The correspondence in the follows
November 20, 1919.
Mr.. Geo. B. McGnty
Secretary, Interstate Commerce Commission,
Washington D. C.
Dear SRI am enclosing herewith for your in
formation. copy of letter which I have this date
addressed to the Director General Railroads. with
reference to certain rate changes made to be
made.
1t is the belief Of the Eastern carriers that this
proposed change is uneconomic. unfair and untust-
fed and it is the present intention of the interested
corporations, when the roads returned to cor
porate control, to apply to the commission for
collation. of the rates in question in the event they
are published by the Administration as now con-
templated.
Yours very truly
(Signed) D. WILLARD
Chairman. Presidents Commission, Official CLASH
ficaton Territory.
The Wilard-IIines correspondence follows
Baltimore, Md. November g. 1919.
Walker D. Hines,
Director General of Railroads,
Washington D. C.
My Dear Sir-There has been brought to the at
tention of the railroad corporations eastern ter
rtory the matter of order issued by the Division
OF Traffic of the Federal Administration providing
for the application Of the same rates on traffic for
export through the Gulf and other Southern ports,
from certain territory east of a line running north
and south substantially through the center of In
DIANA as are concurrently applied via New York
thus creating condition which the interested cor
porations regard nimical to their interests, and
they accordingly desire this letter to be considered
protest against the action indicated
The system carriers chiefly interested in the
matter are the New York Central, PENNSYLVANIA
Baltimore & Ohio and Erie, with others largely SO
and upon whose behalf this protest is written
Among other things. the establishment Of the
rates referred to creates entirely situation or
condition from any that has heretofore existed To
accomplish the purpose stated will require the move
ment OF considerable part o. the business affected
substantially double the distance 1t it is from a
greater part of the territory involved to New York
Philadelphia or Baltimore. 1t will work to short
haul a number of the carriers upon whose lines
the business originates and reduce their earning
power accordingly. 1t will have the effect of in
Producing such an abnormal rate adjustment in the
territory under consideration as to constitute a
menace to the rate structure as whole 4th Section
violations being prominent feature in the pronosed
adjustment.
1t is, in the view of the corporations distinct de-
parture from the principles enuncfated in the 18th
section of the Interstate Commerce act which pro-
NldeS that in establishing a through route THE
commission shall not require any company without
us consent to embrace in such route substantially
less than the entire length of its railroads -"
The Eastern carriers interested in this matter
nave not been given hearing the subject nor
ahoFded an opportunity to state their objections
In the event that considerable volume of traffic
should be diverted from the establishment of these
rates. IL VIII have the effect of introducing an nm
economic burden upon the carriers in that it will
require the transportation of much of the business
twice the distance that it would move through nor
mai and we-estabshed channels; that is to saw IN
New YORK, Philadelphia and Baltimore and Tins
make necessary higher charge on other business tn
overcome this economic loss
The Interested railway corporations earnestly hone
tlat their protest in this matter will be needed and
the proposed rates be not established
Yours very truly,
t. (S!gned) d. WILLARD
Chairman, Presidents Committee, Official Ciassifi-
cation Territory
December s, 1919
Mr. Daniel Willard
Chairman, Presidents Committee