The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-04-30
FACTORIES HARD
 HIT BY STRIKES
 OF R. R. WORKERS
(E. A. McCarty of Hyatt Roller Bear
 ing Company

help transfer stuff from one car to another. I have seen farm tractors do switching work day after day switching that technically was the duty of the railroads. I have known manufacturers to send men across several states to get a truck or a suit case full of parts to be used for com pleting machines - machines that were often sold at a loss.
 One Michigan manufacturer within the next few weeks, will begin operat- ing a fleet of trucks between his fac tory and his sources of supply-in some instances a distance of over 700 miles
 In our own organization every man who has visited our factory during the past six months has been in Btructed to bring back as many bear ings as he could carry as baggage.
 During the express handlers strike over half of our office force went down into the railroad yards and spent day after day-sometime far into the night, unloading express cars containing our product in order to expedite deliveries to our GUS toners.
 It is hard for the public to realize just how many difficulties have be- set the manufacturer in making de- liveries during the past two years. Never before have so many different obstacles had to be overcome.
 Although on every hand we hear cries of greater production, I believe that a. thorough analysis would con- vince anyone that it is more a ques- ton of transportation, for even with disturbed labor conditions the ma jority of delays in manufacturing can be traced directly or indirectly to delays in transporting material.
 During the past three years trans portation has been the 'neck of the bottle" No one has been free from the effects. The manufacturer has been delayed in getting his material. He is dependent upon the steel mills and the parts makers and they in turn are dependent upon the mines and then again the mines are de- pendent on other manufacturers for mining equipment with which to op- crate.
 The farmer is dependent on many phases of the manufacturing indus try to supply his needs and absolutely everyone is directly dependent upon the farmer.
 Thus we get an endless circle of de- pendencies and analysing the situa tion from it's various angles the wonder is that things are moving along as smoothly as they are.
 Since 1915 the volume of freight in this country has increased 45 per cent. During the same period the in crease in number of freight cars amounts to only 2 per cent!
 This deficiency in freight car equip ment is seen reflected in express service: when shipper realizes the congested freight condition he routes nd nf OnniG hu aY- press. z
 As a result of this condition express shipments have increased more rapidly than ever. before. Few express cars have been built during the past three years. Today it is quite the practice to ship commodities by ex- press that under normal conditions would have always gone by freight. This has been a substantial factor in increasing prices.
 The railroads are the arteries through which the very life blood of the nation flows. These arteries are hardened, they no longer expand, the blood pressure is high. Goods can not be freely transported from one section of the country to another and as a result of this our whole indus trial system is out of joint.
 The only way to compensate for the deficiency is to speed the flow of products through the available chan nels. It is up to the traffic men both with the railroads and with pri- vate corporations to accomplish this. It is their duty to judiciously appor- ton material and transportation equipment to protect both buyer and seller, to safeguard the public interests-a1ways observing the basic T-l1lP fsfhP QrPataSt good to the greatest number
 It is mans size job" It is an amending job. Conditions are serious if we give up to them they will imme ediate1y become disastrous
 More work, more thought and less talk are needed High-brow 1egisla- ton will not change the economic condition. The problem is practical rather than political. We have nc time to spend in proving who is tc blame It's a question of making the best of things by putting forth constructive effort and real sweat"
 Traffic men cannot rencdy the sit uation single handed Others mus do their share. Ths dealer in farm machinery should have a clearer un- derstanding of the problems that confront the manufacturer an6 se.e farmer should appreciate the de42e~'s efforts to supply his needs. The pub lie as a whole should maintain a 1ib- eraI minded attitude towards the railroads.
 Transportation is the neck of the bottle. Immediate individual profit is quite incidental. The big problem is to keep the wheels of industry turning. It is up to everyone direct ly or indirectly. It's up to everyone to do his part toward aIleviating tht condition.
 Equipment should not be delayed The fact that a man is willing or ajbl' to pay a high demurrage charge doe not entitle him to hold up a freigh ear.
 Such a, man is not only subjectins some other shipper to a hardship, bu he is placing himself in a position where the railroads will not be in clined to give him preferred servic. the next time he needs a car. T, needlessly detain equipment is crime against the economic welfar, of the nation. The man who is guilt, of it is an enemy of society," Car should be loaded to a maximum ca