The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-01-29
SOUTH DEMANDS
FAIR FREICHTS
TRADE EXAMINATIONS APPEAR
BEFORE COMMERCE COMMiS-
SION ON EXPORT RATES.


Washington, Jan. 2S.-Fair treat
ment in the matter of freight rates
and shipping facilities for south At
! lantic and Gulf ports is being urged
upon members of congress and the rail-
road administration committee of the
south, representing commercial ship
! ping, trade and traffic organizations
throughout the southern state that
was formed at conference held in
Memphis, Tennessee, January 10, by
! representatives of these organizations.
| Appeals We're made to the railroad
! administration at a hearing today, to
! the Senate Commerce Committee at a
hearing yesterday and TO congress at
large at a banquet last. night.
| a. O. t. Moore of New Orleans, traf-
| fic manager of the Southern Pine
Association, was made chairman of this
committee, Mr.. Moore has established
headquarters at the Raleigh hotel,
where he conferred with traffic men
over the south, preparatory to big
hearings that were held today before
the senate committee on commerce and
before Judge Edward Chambers, direc
tor of traffic of the Sariroad admins
tration, and Max Thelen, director Of
public service Of the railroad admins
tration
Mr.. Moore ana the committee of the
south have Joined forces with the Mid
west-Gulf- South Atlantic Foreign
Trade and Transportation Committee
representing a number of commercial
organizations in states of the south
and west. Matthew Hale is chairman
of this committee. Both committees
are determined to see to it that the
south Atlantic and Gulf Ports and
through them the great southern and
western interior part of the country,
get a square deal in the matter of
freight rates. The southern and west
ern traffic and shippers representa-
tives realize that New York and other
great eastern ports of America are
congested and they declare that if
the enormous export trade of the coun-
try is to be handled properly ana If
the new American merchant marine is
to be developed to the greatest extent
the ports Of the south must be fully
utilized.
The railroad administration upeared
TO realize this some time ago wnen
it equalized freight rates on goods
for export from the interior to the
south Atlantic and Gulf ports That
is. it reduced the rates on goods to
these ports for export to an equality
with the rates on goods to New York
for export
But now Daniel willard, president of
the B9ltimPre and Ohio railroad, aid
other large eastern railroad interests
are seeking to have this equality done
away with, and higher rates restored
to the southern ports on export trar-ic
Mr.. Willard has appealed to Walker D.
Hines, director general of railroads
The challenge has been accepted by
the committee of the south and by the
Midwest Gulf South Atlantic Com
mittee, and the fight Is on.
The southern traffic interests want
not only to hold the equality their
ports have gained with eastern ports,
but they are also fighting to oo:l;n
restoration of export rates on ship
ments from the interior to south
Atlantic and Gulf ports. The railroad
administration, by general order No.
%, abolished these export rates. Local
rates are now charged on traffic to the
southern ports, that is intended for
export. The local rates are higher
than the former export rates.
The government has spent millions
Of dollars in seeking to expand the for
eign trade of the United States" said