Evening star., 1921-04-07
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

NsOl LlNSoLNe
Copyright. 1921. by The Washington star)
(Thls Is the sixth of a series Of articles
On the acute railroad and railroad labor
problems. The next will appear in an
early issue.)
Many shippers in the United States
are protesting vigorously against the
high freight rates now maintaining
on the railroads. 1t would he extraor-
binary If they did not. They have
seen their business on the -declire
during the last few months. They
are casting about for the reasons, and
one OF the handiest Is found in the
high freight rates. Stories are printed
about produce allowed to rot because
1t did not pay to ship 1t to the mar
ket. Coal, on which the rates are
very high, Is not moving.
Without holding brief for high
freight rates, and with every desire
that the rates may be reduced in the
near future, it is still possible to fig
Cre that the big slump which has oc-
CURED in buying of commod dities-and
in consequence. in the traffic handled
by the railroads-is due in large part
to other causes than the high freight
rates.
Strike Against High Prices.
The people on the whole have drawn
In their horns. They are not buying
as they did a year ago. They have
struck against high prices in many
cases. In addition to this. the men
and women of the country are not
making the money they did year
ago.
In the first place, hundreds of thou
sands of workers have been laid off.
Unemployment has reached into the
millions. In the second place, many
of those who still hold jobs are work.
ing only part time. The workers are
receiving in some instances reduced
pay. All of these factors result in .
decrease in the buying power of the
people.
During the period of high wages
and big volume of business many
OF the workers, who had more money
than they ever had before. stocked
up on articles which ordinarily they
would not have been able to buy
They are using these stocks now.
While the shippers are protesting
Vigorously against high freight rates,
the railroad officials and the rail-
road workers are together in their
insisteHce that the rates cannot come
down under existing conditions OF
the transportation business. although
protesting a desire to see change
in conditions that would make re-
duction in wages possible. They In
sist that the increase granted In
freight rates. as reflected in the cost
of livins-or as II should be reflect
eds infinitesimal. That has been
the higher rates last fall. They
admit, however. that the higher
rates on heavier and bulkier COM
modities. such as coal. lumber and
building materials. have increased
the costs to the consumers.
Question Of Wages.
The railroads. while maintaining
are not seriously affected by the
freight rates, are not slow to point
out that a reduction IN rates cannot
be expected until there is a reduc-.
tion in the expenditures OF the
roads-and they speak with particu-
lar reference to wages. the heaviest
. expenditure of the roads.
Railroad labor. on the other hand.
takes the view that decrease in
rates cannot be brought about until
method of operating the railroads.
1t charges the present management
with gross ineficiency and waste.
B. H. Jewe1. representing the work.
ers. has told the Railroad Labor
Board that. with certain economies.
the railroads can be operated at
saving Of $1,o0o. 900. 900 a year-and
this without reduction Of wages to
any appreciable extent
One of the charges brought by rail-
road workers against the manage
ment of the roads is the failure of
the roads to adequately equip the
shops with tools materials and sup
plies in general. Railroad machinists
will tell you that the railroad shops.
on the whole. are the poorest equipped
machine shops in the country, al
though they should be the best
equipped. The result of this failure.
they say. may be measured in millions
of dollars of waste annually.
Men spend hours. they say. looking
for bolts and necessary parts FOR re-
pairs to engines and cars; wnicn
shouId he right at hand. All OF the