The Washington herald., 1920-04-16
SHORTLlNE
RAIL MEETING
Owners and Managers from
All Sections Confer on :.
New Rail Bill.
PLANS MAPPED OUT
Committees Appointed to
Consider Protective
Recommendations.

American Short Line Railroad A.
sociation today at the New willard
Hotel, called by Bird n. Robinson,
president Of the association, for the
purpose of discussing the various
problems confronting the short lines
and, their relation to the new trans
portation act.
The term short line, when used
by this association" said Mr.. Rob-
inson in his report as president.
means a railroad that is either
short in mileage or short in revenue
with which to maintain and operate
its railroad" He presented figures
showing that there are $50 Of the
so-called short lines in the country.
operating $4,000 miles of line. Ths
meeting. will be continued today.
The short line railroads are now
governed by a new and untried law
said Mr.. Robinson. They are con-
fronted with greatly increased prices
for every, article necessary in the
transaction of their business and
they are menaced by a demand for
a large increase in wages. A proper
Interpretation and application of the
law must be secured; prices and
wageS must not be permitted to 60
beyond the ability to pay. and q
substantial increase in the revenue
must be obtained.
''Over and above such conditions
the rail carriers as a whole have
just entered the twilight zone OF
the campaign that is being con-
Quoted to deprive the owners OF
their property. The radical element
of the country are determined to
leave nothing undone to appropriate
not only the railroads but prac-
tically all other property. me
radicals have selected the railroads
as the first object of attack. hence
we must meet the fun force of the
coming aggressive campaign. Tho
situation demands that all short line
railroads join in the work being
done for the good of all and II the
large number OF that class of roads
do join together, they can. without
substantial financial burden upon
anyone, provide funds to meet any
and all emergencies"
Committees were appointed to
consider recommendations made by
President Robinson in his report
that the association organize legal.
traffic and purchasing bureaus to
act for the short lines generally and
committees swere also appointed to
consider the situation of the cleo
trio freight-carrying railroads.
Addresses were made at the aft
ernoon session by Edgar z. Clark.
chairman of the Interstate Com
merce Commission; Representative
John j. Esch, chairman OF the
House Committee on Interstate and
Foreign Commerce; Samuel o. Dunn.
editor of the Railway Age. and
George c. Taylor, president of the
American Railway Express Com
pany.
The public must be willing 70
pay for the class of transportation
that the public demands, and il the
public is not willing to pay for the
kind of transportation that II
wants, it will have to be content
with the kind ii is willing to pay
for" declared Edgar E. Clark.
chairman of the Interstate Com
merce Commission, in an address to
day before the American Short Line
Railroad Association in special
session.
Chairman Clark said the degree
Of successful administration of the
new transportation law would de-
pend on the cooperation between
the commission, the carriers and
the public, and that IL all concerned
viewed the situation from a broad
standpoint and not from narrow,
selfish interest. a system of trans
portation would be developed in the
next five years that would not
caue any one to desire to go back
to the old days.
It think the new transportation
law represents what may be fairy
termed to be the starting of private
ownership and operation of the
railroads on its last trial in this
country" said Mr.. Clark. 81 be-
lieve that if the experiences of the
next few years under this law are
such as to be generally unsatis-
factory; If il shall develop that un-
der this law we cannot provide an
adequate and efficient transporta-
tion system, such as the country
desires. that government ownershtp
will inevitably follow.
Il do not believe that govern
ment ownership and operation Of
railroads in this country is the
most desirable thing. In that con-
nection 1 think that all of the re-
sponsible railroad officials should
realize that each must do his part
in providing the most thorough,
adequate and efficient Transports
tion system IL is possible to build
up"
Representative John ]. Esch.
chairman Of the House Committee
on Interstate and Foreign Com
merce. declared before the Amert-
can Short Line Railroad Associa-
tion today that the rule OF rate
making in the new transportation
act, under which the Interstate
Commerce Commission must pre-
scribe rates that will return to the
railroads an annual net operating
railway income equal to biR per
cent of the value OF the property.
gives confidence to the investing
public.
THAT was ona of the arguments
in favor of It's enactment" Mr..
Esch said. TT was a difficult task
in coming to an agreement on II.
More than once left the confer
ence room with feeling of hope
lessness. 1t seemed impossible TO
harmonize differences of opinion.
But we agreed upon II. and We have
passed it on to the Interstate Com
merce Commission without regret.
but with the hope that it will
make a successful administration
thereof"