Norwich bulletin., 1920-08-04
Norwich. Wednesday. Aug. 4. 19se..
CIRCULATION WEEK ENDING JULY s1st, 1920
 IO,783
MORE EFFICIENT SERVICE DUE
 FROM THE RAILROADS

Having had the wagev question set tied through the Cummings award and the question of where the funds are 10 come from through the decision of the interstate commerce commission, is it too much to expect that the railroads should now settle down to a determination to give the best public service2 This ap- plies alike to railroad workers, engin- eers, firemen, conductors, freight hand lers and others concerned with the phys ical operation of the roads and to the railway executives in whose hands lie the development of their lines to meet the needs of industry.
 With the spirit of unrest removed through the settlement of their wage schedules, the workers should be able to give their undivided attention and effort to their daily tasks while the railroad heads can proceed with cer- tainty with the development plans. now that they find their source of increased revenue assured.
 The S1terstate commerce commisS sion decision gives the railroads au- thority to increase their reve1ue by ap- proxim--ely one billion and a half dol lars through an advance in freight rates of about one-third, passenger fares one-fifth and Pullman charges one-half. These increases are designed to offset the $500. 900 wage ad- vance awarded by the railroad labor board and to provide the per cent. net income on the aggregate value of the railroad properties as permitted under the transportation ,act.
 When the wage advance award was made it was plain enough that 1t would have to be followed by an increase in rates. The only question was how much this would have to be. This re- solved itself into a problem in mathe- matics for which the interstate com merce commission attempts to give the solution.
 How much the public will be called upon 10 pay the freight is a question
 As far as passenger rates and Pull man rates are concerned, it is evident that the advances will come directly out of the travelling publics pocket, but il is a more complicated matter to say just how far freight rate advances car be pushed along to the ultimate con- sunler. Practically every commodity with which the public has to deal has somewhere along the line, something added to it cost through charges for railroad freightage. If manufacturer wholesaler and retailer each seize upon the excuse of increased freight rates to add even a cent or two to prices, it is plain that the publics bill will be a . very large one.
 @ Members of the interstate commerce commission are quoted as saying that any appreciable advance in prices would be unwarranted on account ot the increased freight rates railroad executives concur in this opinion. whil. 2 Mir Lauck, the labor's mems statisticiar who was interested in securing wage advances hastens to assure the public that there should be no material advance in prices, except possibly on coal where from 75 cents to S1.35 per tor may be expected. Dealers in food or the other hand, are said to predict {; raise of to per cent. on account O the increased freight tariff.
 President Willard of the Baltimore { Ohio railroad, chairman of the execu tive committee of the association of railway executives, is one of those wh, is optimistic of better conditions becaus Of the new rates. He says. "If tn rate increase will bring renewed actlvi ty in the development of the railroads and I think it will, then the advances instead of tending to increase the cost 0 living. will have the opposite effect There wi1l be renewed energy on tn part Of officers and employees which vii be reflected in the additional movemen of a large volume of business. Thi will make up in efficiency the increas in rates"
 We should. get. as President Wi1iar' says, such an improved railroads ser vice as will be immensely stimulating t the business life of the p4tion. Pro iuction should be spceded up and falling of prices more than enough t Q offset the increase caused by the highe freight rates should result. Both rail road employees and railroads have nov been taken care of handsomely. Tn nation has a right to expect retur of old time railroad efficiency. With should come an end of industrial stag nation and an alleviation of the ten sion caused by the high cost of living.