The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-10-24

1t will thus be noted that during the
years when other industries were max
ing very large profits. when the prices
OF farm products and the wages of Ia
Dor were soaring to unheard-of heights,
the earnings upon railroad investment
in the United States were held within
very narrow limits and that they have
during the past four years progressive
ly declined.
Roads Handicapped More Than Other
Business.
2. The railroads are responsible to
the public for providing adequate trans
portation. Their charges are limited
by public authority, and they are, in
very large respects (n0tably for labor
compelled to spend money on a basis
fixed by public authority. The margin
within which they are permitted to
earn return upon their investment
or to offer inducements to attract new
capital for extensions and betterments
is extremely limited. However much
the railroads might desire. therefore,
to reduce their charges in times OF de-
preston, 1t win be perceived that the
limitations surrounding their action do
not permit them to give effect to broad
and elastic policies which might very
properly govern other lines Of business
not thus restricted.
1t has been urged upon the railroads
that reduction in rates will stimu-
late traffic and that increased traffic
| will protect the carriers from the loss
incident to a reduction In rates. The
railroad arrangements cannot disguise
from themselves that this suggestion is
merely conjectural and that an ad.
verse result of the experiment would
be disastrous not only to the railroads.
but to the public. whose supreme need
is adequate transportation.
Consequently the railroad manage
! ments cannot feel justified in placing
these instrumentalities. so essential to
the public welfare, at the hazard of
! such an experiment based solely upon
such a conjecture.
Farmers Especially Need Lower Rates
II is evident. however. that existing
| transportation charges bear in many
cases disproportionate relationship to
the prices at which commodities can
| be sold in the market and that exist
ing labor and other costs of transpor-
| tation thus imposed upon industry
| and agriculture generally a burden
greater than they should bear. This
is especially true Of agriculture. The
railroad arrangements are feeling sem
sitiEe to and sympathetic with the dis
tressing situation and desire TO do
everything to assist in relieving it that
is compatible with their duty to fur
nish the transportation which the pub
lie must have.
At the moment railroads, in many
cases are paying 40 cents an hour for
unskiIled labor, when similar labor is
working alongside the railroads and
| can easily be obtained by them at 20
cents an hour. The railroads of the
country paid, in 1920 total of con-
siderably over 100. 100000 to unskill-
ed labor alone. However desirable 1t
may be TO pay this or that schedule of
wages, it is obvious that it cannot be
paid out of railroad earnings. unless
the industries which use the railroads
are capable Of meeting such charges.
The railroads and through them.
the people generally-are also ham
pered in their efforts TO economic oy
a schedule OF working rules and con-
ditions now in force as heritage from
NE period of federal control and up
held by the railroad labor board. These
conditions are expensive, uneconomtc
and unnecessary from the point or view
| of railroad operation and extremely
burdensome upon the public which
Days the bill This schedule OF wages
and of working conditions prevents the
railroads from dealing eQuitably with
their labor costs in accordance with
rapidlv changing conditions and the
great variety Of local considerations
which ought to control wages n off
ferent parts OF the country. The rail
roads are seeking to have these rules
I and working conditions abrogated.
The railroads will seek a reduction
in wages now proposed by first request
ing the Sanctlon OF the e,,i Iallroad Iaool
board. The railroads VIII proceed with
all possible dispatch. and as soon as
the railroad labor board shall have Civ
en- its assent to the reduction Of wages
the general reduction In rates VIII be