Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-03-21
PLUMB URGES ROADS
TO DECREASE TARIFFS
Railway Labor I.cn.lccr Says RcA
ducti"n of Wages Will Not Solve
Income Problems OF Carriers.

Declaring that the prescn, blanket
surrounding the railroads and iu-
nnS'rN OF America would be quickly
removed IL the railroads would de-
crease rates. Glen T.. Plumb, nntion-
wid" economist and counsel Tor rail
i"al Unions. addressed an audience
Ina. ,m"t hIl"d every seat in the Bijou
incat"i yesterday afternoon
Mr.. piumh'S topic was The Rail
i"ah Sliuht ION. II" was introduced
hN George l.. Wilcox. member OF the
NirGihia i."%isla ture from Richmond
There would hc increased trans
profits" MIR. Plumb nsscrt.a III
rates were lowered. shippers in Ger
tam localities now loae moncy on
commodities when shipped to dis
cases"
He illustrated this point with tho
nliSht OF the fruit growers ot the
ll.Vuo carloads OF melons. Ton thuu-
sans cars were shipped before in
creased rates went into effect and
the producers realized % cents prof,
w"r" shipped after increased rates.
and til" farmers not only made no
pront on th"ir wares. but had to pay
Tor The crates and n deficit in the
freiSh,
VIII Vow taisc Cation.
This year the farmers OF tho Inn
rnrial Valley viii raise no melons. :"
Mr. Plumb said. They will rails"
ioni' sthrI" cotton. which takes u
lower rate ana thirty acres Of Which
can bc loaded in a car. whore before
only one acre of melons could ho
loaded. The railroads VIII therefore
lose money and wil say to their
employees wc have rot to lower wages
l" exist That IL not the thing to
do IT they would decrease rates
;hcy would get a greater volume Of
iIcieht and their profts would hc
larger
There are 1900 miles Of rail
roads IN the United States" Mr.
tIumh asserted. AN Investment Of
S2l "O0."on 6oG Thcr. are 2.Grp. 0na
employees who receive S3.50G. 0o0. Geo
IN wages. Railroads have been In
"NiSt"nc" IN this country ABOUT eighty
Years and reach to every town and
nnml"i IN tho country. rhov are IN"
~, MOOD ana Ehe rroSrcri'y Of TIA"
nation. sine" 1917 rates nave boon
ra isch ZOO per cent. Tut durtua the
past year tho railroads made only
Per cent On their Investment
NJ ifumh contcnd"d mat tn" only
lover rates. not lower wages. \
lowered wage decreases the efficiency
ana loyalty al the men. hui q lowered
rate Increased the volume 90! ,ram.c
ana profit.
II" illustrated this roin, by telling
OF ~ electric railroad he operated
In chicago TWENTY-FIVE" years ago 10
established Il branch lime running
about milo into tho E'nCE ward dis
'ri"' Tho fare was ccuts Tho
cNpcnSc a dyy was SIG or each of
tn" two ears on the line. but tn" In
com" was s n car. The men work
inS a, tn" stock yards could walk
tn" distance in fifteen miuutcE aud
as they were making II cents am
hour n the yards th"y could make.
NOR" money walking. SO th.y walked
Nv. Plumb said II" decided to make
riding 50 cheap tn" mon could MOI
arprh 80 walk SO nc sold Gftc"u
tickets for - cents. Ills profits i'm
creased ! 600 per cent. He said tho
railroads would prosper likcwiHc iI
rates decreased instead uf increasing
Tn" lcCtIr" Was the first % srV-
"ral educational addresses to b." given
under III" nuSSicrs nr the central
Trades and Labor Council Of Rich
mond