New-York tribune., 1920-11-08
The Motor ruck's Use
Not the Railroads. Competitor, bu,
It's Needed Co-Worker
To the Editor Of The Tribune

Sir: The common conception ap-
tween the railways and tho motor truck
operators there exists condition Of
competition; of the plfering and un-
dcrmining of legitimate trade of the
former by the latter under the pro-
lection Of public subsidy: that the
railways must suffer, and ultimately
succumb to the rapidly advancing horde
Of invading gasocne carriers.
Casual observation encourages this
belief. Actual knowledge, study Of
conditions and statistics provo the con-
trary to be the case.
More 80 to-day than ever before is
the short haul4ess-th -than-carload lots
the entangling alliance which binds to
a minimum and generally defeats eff
cient and effective solving Of the trans
pertation problem confronting tho rail
roads and the country at large Our
common carriers are helpless in the
endeavor to move this type of shipment
economically for either themselves or
the shipper.
The statement Of Mr.. c. A. Morse,
Of the Railroad Administration, and
Mr.. J. J. Hill are significant:
"Considered as a unit, practically
none of the small branch railway lines
feeding trunk lines pay expenses. The
traffic gathered by them is turned over
to the main line with deficit attached
which has to be overcome during the
main line movement before any profit
is made. 1t would be a decided advan-
tage if this traffic could be delivered
to the trunk line by means Of motor
truck"
AS long ago as 1912 the latc Mr.
James J. Hill said: IL confess | have
not yet planned q satisfactory solution
TO tho riddle OF the city tcrmlp2l. 1t
is puzzle that increases in com
plexity and complication as cities
grow" Much of the condition is caused
by the influx of "short haul traffic"
This is the shipment Of commodities
between relatively adjacent communi-
ties and includes large volume of
"less than carload" freight
Mr.. r. E. Fulton, vice president Of
the International Motor Company, says
relative to public subsidy: "Iotor
vehicle owners in 1918 paid $5O, ,O0O, 900
in automobile license fees to the va
rious' states. Including personal prop
erty taxes levied on cars in some states.
excise and local charges, it is estimated
that car owners paid no less than $780,
100000. In addition, motor vehicle
manufacturers paid $33 900, 600 in taxes,
or about $25 for every car built. Out
Of 100000 miles of highway in the
United States, only $3.50 are equal to
the demands of heavy duty traffic.
Motor vehicles, therefore, pay total
sum amounting to $75 mile for every
mile Of highway in the United States,
improved or unimproved. For every
mile capable of carrying heavy duty
motor traffic, motor vehicles pay yearly
sum equal to $4,000 mile"
Is it, then, good practice, good COM
mon sense, to endeavor to continue to
haul at loss that which to-day tends
to thwart the attempts to retrcnch the
railroads financially by expediting
loading and unloading shipments at
terminals and way stations, so that
the coal fields, the grain fields. the
fruit crop and products OF manufac-
tories, may receive their full quota Of
cars to the end that scarcity, spoilage,
congestion and delay may be mini
mized, if not eliminated The long
haul is that upon which the successful
operation of the railroads is predicted.
Let US believe in facts The action
of the motor truck in its allotted field
Is not q predatory one. If competitive,
it IS with the horse; rather it is CO.
operative with the railroads. The
truck with its fexibility is limited
economically to a definite labor. 1t is
confined, and yet confined to an ideal
limit That limit is the short-haul-
Less .-than-carload link which connects
the outlying district or community
with tho rail center or focus of in
dustry Further than that, it may 20
on y under penalty Of excess cost per
ton mile TO the owner, who may make
this sacrifice for speed or to alleviate
an emergency. At the end of the short
haul radius lies competition with the
railroad, which cannot be economically
indulged in by the motor truck
Motor trucks have met the test They
saved Paris at the Marne; London dur
ing the railroad strikes; likewise they
saved New York. They are cfYecting
saving to-day in millions to our farm
ers by minimizing spolage through
prompt transportation. They ere sym
bolic of progress, the co-worker in this
day Of reconstruction, in this time
when maximum Production IS para
mount.
EDWARD EARLE WYMAN.
New York, Nov. /, 1920.
Debs Name on the Ballot