Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-05-25
BILLION
 LIAR RATE RAISE |N'T BOOST \. C.L'
of Railroads Appear
 o Testify Before l the I. C. C.
TRANSPORTATION FANS LOWER PRICES

MI
 rs Rail Oficials-lncreases
 aging Approximately 30
 Cent Asked in All Tef-
 ritOries
 noton. May 24.-Belief that
 in freight rates to provide
 than a billion dollars addi-
 venue asked by the nations
 wouh not increase the cost
 was expressed by spokes-
 tbe carriers in opening their
 " before the interstate com
 mmission. :,
 ng that I know of," said
 Willard, president of the Bal
 nd Ohio railroad, would re-
 cost of living so much as
 mt and speedy transporta-
 pods"
 led that the revenues asked
 sary to provide the six per
 nm guaranteed by the gov
 would enable the carriers to
 sufficiant equipment to
 mmodities unable to reach a
 lick Strauss, of New York,
 r for the railroads, declared
 fty or sixty per cent increase
 ht rates would have no ap-
 effect on the present move
 bring down living cost.
 ses in all freight rates of
 r cent in the eastern ter B0.95 in the southern terri
 23.91 per cent in western ter 5 meet the difference between |er cent return on property in- 6 permitted under the Trans act were advocated here to- Howard Elliott, chairman of committee of the general rate ee of the Association af Rail- bcutive
 lliott pointed out that in the
 territory railroads for the Hing October 31 returned on
 investments less than one, one per cent in the southern !. He said the returns were
 three-fourths of one per cent he western territory slightly n two per cent. For the coun- whole the return was said to (n slightly more than one per the conditions of private lp and operation of railroads. kernmental regulation, protec- ] encouragement, MT. Elliott be railroads must obtain earn meet all obligations and have It credit to sustain them in ion with other forms of in- Into which people put their hlns, energy and money" [iott declared that the railroad Is were just as ,desirous of ob- fair adjustment of wages for lOO,000 or more men as they l receive the increased reve- He said "there is manpower, yer, courage, common sense |on enough in the country to i all will pull together, work hard and eliminatae selfish ste and extravagance." Fification of the railroads po- said that the price of trans P had not increased nearly so the cost of production. Ex- (ad gone up at least 100 per |e revenues had increased less per cent.
 Willard's Plea.
 pes of the eastern railroads increased by approximately poo annually, as a minimum, are to be placed upon any |e a sound financial basis, ac- |pto Daniel Willard, president baltimore and Ohio railroad, ey addressed the commission IT of the eastern group of the hearing on the carriers ,i ,ior increased freight rates. |illard argued that the com should consider the property mt accounts of the railroads basis for determining the ns of the roads in order to E rates to yield six percent. lred that even with increas- to provide the additionalI this country would have the ates in the world. of the next few months or 'lil determine whether gov ownership of railroads will popular opposi- ederlck Strauss of New York arhed ai the commission, con- mat the main thing at pres 9 establish feeling of se- the minds of the investors. ,ment guaranty would nec- pc followed by government ID, MT. Strauss declared. 3 peoples aversion to gov ownership is of no avail uch policies are adopted as dude it.
 ominal rates merely are of 70 the shipper, MT. Strauss IT the traffic is not moved cient quantity. What the needs. he argued, is the movement of his goods and : only two ways in which it accomplished.
 ny an increased charge for ment a4 of the goods, he said, other is by an appropriation 'ae national treasury by a taxpayers to cover the de- aus at present can offer no snt to the investor combin- ponds with speculative value