The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-10-27

the years when other Industries were
making very large profits. when the
prices Of farm products and the wages
OF labor were airing to unheard-of
heights. the earnings upon railroad In
ves. ne&: IL ths United states xer
held within very narrow limits and
that they have during the past four
years progressively declined.
Roads handicapped More Than
Other Business.
.. The railroads are responsible to
the public for providing adequate
transportation. Their charges are
limited by public authority. and they
are In very large respects (notably for
isbor) compelled TO spend money on
basis fived BY pphli" authority. The
nsAxsis wttAls whlch they are permit
ted to earn q return upon their In
vestment or to offer Inducements to
attract new capital for extensions and
betterments is exretmely limited
However. much the railroads might
desire. therefore. to reduce their
charges In times OF depression, Il will
be perceived that the limitations sur.
rounding their action do not permit
them TO give effect to broad and elias.
tic policies which might very properly
govern other lines OF business not thus
restricted.
II has beeen urged upon the rail-
roads that reduction in rates will
stimulate traffic and that lncreas sed
traffic will protect the curriers' from
the loss incident to reduction In
rates. The railroad mana gemrntS can
not disguise from themselves that this
suggestion II merry coniectural and
that an adverse result of the experi.
ment would be disastrous not dnly Ia
the railroads. but to the public, whose
supreme need is adequate transporta-
tion. Consequently the railroad man
agements rannot feel justified In plac.
Ing these instrumentalties, so essen.
tial to the public welfare. at the haz-
ard OF such an experiment based solely
upon such conjecture.
Farmers Especially Need Lower Rates
II Is evident. however, that existing
transportation charges bear In many
cases a disproportinate relationship
to the prices at which commodities
can be sold In the market and that
existing labor and other costs OF
transportation thus imposed upon In.
dustry and agriculture generally q
burden greater than they should
bear. This is especially true OF agri-
culture. The railroad managements
are feeling sensitive to and sym.
pathetic with the distressing situa-
ton and desire to do everything to
assist In relieving II that is compati-
BILE with their duty to furnish the
transportation which the public must
have
At the moment railroads in many
cases are paying 40 cents an hour
for unskilled labor when similar Ia.
Dor is working alongside the rail-
roads and can easily be obtained by
them at 20 cents an hour. The rail.
roads OF the country paid In 1920 n
total OF considerably over $1,000, 900.
900 to unskilled labor alone. How
ever desirable Il may be TO pay this
or that schedule OF wages, IL Is OBJ.
vious that II cannot be paid out OF
railroad earnings unless the indus
tries which use the railroads are cap
able OF meeting such charges.
The railroads, and through them
the people generally. are also ham
pouDd - sbeR s6Or0 b soo0ontDo
By a schedule Of wortins rules and
conditions now in force as heritage
from the period OF Federal control
and upheld by the Railroad Labor
Board. These conditions are expen.
sive. uneconomic and unnecessary
from the point Of view OF railroad
operation and extremely burdensoms
upon the public which pays the -hu