The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1920-12-09
If Sufficient Evidence Can Be
Obtained Indictments Will j
Be the Result u
COMMISSION WILL ASK !
LAWS AGAINST BRIBERY
Report Shows Improvement m
Operating Efficiency in =,
Past Year Al
(By United Press)

(By United Press)
Washington, Dec. 9---Bribery to 50.
cure favors in the movement OF coal
and other commodities viii result in
indictments il sufficient evidence can
be obtained. the Interstate Commerce
Commission warned in its annual re-
port made public today
The commission also announced it
would ask congress Tor legislation to
punish anyone giving bride to Il
railroad employee or any employe ac-
cepting a BRIDE.
AS result Of the inadequacy OF tho
car supply and of railroad transport
alton generally during the past year
practice has grown up among ship
pers OF .bribing operating employees Of
railroad companies to obtain trans
portation service the report said.
1.-The demObiliziug effect OF this prac-
tice are far reaching. Bribery OF this
character in many Instances cannot
be directly and effectively reached
under existing laws
The commission also announced It
is trying to break up the practice OF
attempting to reduce transportation
charges by falsely describing ship
ments and by filing fraudulent loss
claims. Indictments have been re-
turned In a number Of these cases.
several OF which were Tor billing gas
oline us unref1ned naptha., allowing
1t to be carried at reduced rates. Ell
forts OF this character have Increased
with higher rates. the commission
said.
The commission also recommended
action by congress to require the use
Of steel cars in passenger train serv-
ice. Among other Legislative recon-
mtndatons were: TO place more
stringent limitations upon transport
tutiOn OF explosives and to require
more careful inspection Of locomotive
boilers, AZ an accident prevention
measure.
The report showed an improve
ment Of railroad operating efficiency
during the year. and told in detail
how the transportation and car short
age problems had been met by orders
giving priority movement to coal and
other necessities, and by orders re-
curing concentration Of equipment
in sections where the needs were
most acute.
1t was pointed out that a factor
detrimenlally affecting the coal car
supply has been the great increase
in recent years In the number OF
coal mines. while there has been no
similar increase in the equipment
available for mine distribution
There are now approximately 5000
more coal mines in operation than
prior TO the war. The commission
said however. that of the 1854
coal mines now in operation. 5,SSS
are small ones. y Thus, over half the
total number of coal mines produce
less than two per cent Of the total
coal production of this country.
1.-THE demand for coal for exporta-
ton to European countries has been
unusually great said the report,
land the bidding of foreign buyers
against each other and against AM
erican consumers has doubtless had a
marked effect in increasing the de-
mand for coal in this country and
to an even greater extent the price
OF free coal Repeated and insistent
demands have been made upon us
that we prohibit the expectation OF
coal, especially to European countries.
Nothing has becp found IN the law
which authorizes such action upon
our part"
During the year the government
has loaned a total Of S1l5.767.71O
to railroads. Of which $2S,69S,745
was to purchase locomotives and
cars, and $29.27S.215 for other adj
ditions and betterments S57,790,75O
was borrowed from the government
by railroads to meet maturing obli-
cations.
The com ission said that there is
uncertainty whether the increased
rates of 1920 vii give the railroads
the guaranteed return on their valu-
alton. because with regard to both
valuations and rates there are. fac
tors not now ascertainable with ex-
actness. at is therefore impossible
to speak with confidence as to re-
suits until a reasonable period has
passed." the report said.
The commission estimated that
$500, 100000 will be necessary to
make. good the government guaranty
to the railroads for the six months
period after the ending OF Federal
control. However. this estimate is
uncertain. because Ito what extent
the maintenance. limitations. and
other adjustments will modify this
loss to the government we are UNI
able to say at this time"
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