Evening star., 1921-11-29
ROADS TObE HEARD
ON FRE|GHI.RATES
|. c. c. Dates for lnvestigat-
ing Present Level of Trans.
portation Charges.

Railroads of the United States will
be given the week from December
IA to 81 to Justify in hearings before
the Interstate Commerce Commission
- present level of transportation
I urges, the commission announced
.oday. In it's formal announcement
Of the hearing called to begin De-
cenber IA on transportation rates. the
commission gave out series OF quss-
tiens. for which answers will be
sought. The outline is intended to
serve as a guide to all persons in
rate investigation which the Commits :
sion will make.
Substance Of Questions.
The ouestionnaire. made public to-
day, asks the railroads whether pres
ent rates are reasonable in the aggre-
gate in theaITuited States as a whole.
or reasonable in the territorial rate
groups. and If not. to what extent
they need modification 1t asks def
turns railroads are earning and what
prospects, they have for the future;
what has been done to reduce operat-
ing expenses by reduction of railroad
personnel or wages. by changes In
working conditions. by reduced prices
alterations already have been made
in individual commodity rates al
how ed in 1920 or losses In revenue. as
well as changes In the volume of
traffic under the varying charges. -
have expended on naaintenance and
| whether or not they have cut to the
bone in the endeavoP to meeSsG GKfd
tcharges and what relative proffss hre
made from .passsngaF ands frsisnt
traffic. One of the Important Fques-
tions to be propounded at the hear-
inSs is as to the expected rate of re-
turn after March l. 1922, three years
after the railroads had passed out OF
federal control and the end of the
6 per cent standard return period.
Nnl Next Seek Remedy.
Whom these questions have been
answered the commission will seek to
find what should be done as to rates.
| by percentages in the aggregate or
reduced on specified commodities and
on certain traffic. =
The hearings will be continued
from December IA until full opportu-
nifty hss been afforded for presenta-
commission in determining rate prob
lems. Applications will be consider
ed from representatives OF communi-
i ties and states, trade associations and
shippers who may desire to be heard.
White the commission is inouiring
into the rate structure as whole, 1t
has the assurance of the Association
| of Railroad Executives that the roads
are willing to take a 10 per cent cut
! in freight rates II wages are reduced
| by percentage slightly lower. The
executives have so expressed them )
selves in meetings held within the
past month with the commission.
! Decision Of the commission on the
rate structure will. without doubt,
| have a considerable bearing on the
deliberations Of the Railroad Labor
Board at Chicago. which is consider
I ing the proposed wage reductions.
Employees Of the roads threatened a
nation wide strike on November l un-
less the general seduction in wages
| further argument The roads agreed
| to arbitrate and the last week In Oc-
| toher the wage question was definite
ly postponed
! Adverse Ten Months Age.
| Eight or ten months ago a hori-
1ontal decrease in rates would have
| been sternfy opposed by the railroads
| according to railroad men in Wash
| ineton, notwithstanding complaints
| from shippers that class and COM
modify rates on 0oeeA3n articles were
so high as to greatly reduce the vol
ume OF business
I Within the past two months septi-
I ment in favor of a horizontal decrease
has so crystallized that it's possibility
| is forecast. About a month ago the
| commission ordered a cut of about I6
!, grain products in mountain and in
.termountain territory. which was
| cosidered as precedent to a reopen
\ ing OF the whole rate structure.