The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-10-21
Roads Handicapped More Than Other
Business

Roads Handicapped More Than Other
Business
. The railroads are responsible to
the public for providing adequate
transportation. Their charges are linn
tied by public authority, and they are
in very large respects tnotahly for Ia.
bor) compelled to spend money ON
basis fixed 10y public authority, The
margin within Which they are permit
led to earn a return upon their invest
mcnt or 10 offer Inducements to attract
new capital for extensions and better
ments is extremely limited However
much The railroads might desire, there
fore. TO reduce their charges In times
NJ depression, II viii be perceived that
the limitations surrounding their nc
ton do not permit them to give effect
to broad and elastic policies which
might very properly govern other lines
Of business not thus restricted.
IL has been urged upon The railroads
that a reduction In rates will stlmu-
! luth iIfllC anu tlidN. ihAifdN'N AAHii'N
will protect the carriers from the loss
incident to reduction IN rates The
railroad arrangements cannot disguise
| from themselves that this suggestion Is
merely coniectural and that an adverse
result Of the experiment would be dis
aStrous not only TO the railroads, but
/ ia The public, whose supreme need Is
adequate transportation. Consequently
! The railroad arrangements cannot feel
Justified in placing these Instrumental
/ Ties. so essential TO the public welfare,
ut tile hazard of such an experiment
based solely upon such q conjecture.
Farmers Especially Need Lower Rates
! It is evident, however, that existing
I transportation charges bear in many
cases a dsproportionate relationship 10
| the prices al which commodities can be
sold in the market and that existing shor
and other costs OF transportation thus
/ imposed upon industry and agrlculture
generally a burden greater than they
should bear. This Is especially true OF
agriculture. The railroad arrangements
are feeling sensitive TO and sympathetic
with the distressing situation and de-
sire to do everything to assist in rcilov-
ing it that Is compatible With their duty
to furnish the transportation which the
! public must have.
/ AZ tho moment railroads IN many cases
are paying zoe. an hour for unsldlled
! labor when smilar labor rs working along
side the railroads and can easily be oh
tanned by them at zoe, an hour The
railroads OF The country paid IN 1920 a
total OF considerably over SL300, 100000 to
unskilsd labor alone. However desirable
it may he to pay this or that schedule
~ wages. IL IL obvious that IL cannot be
paid ont OF railroad earnings unless the
industries which use the railroads are
capable OF meeting such charges.
THE railroads, and through them the
mamie generally, are also hampered In
their Efforts 10 economlze by a schedule
~ Working rules and conditions now IN
force as heritage from the period OF
Federal control and upheld by the Rail-
road Labor Board These conditions arc
exnensIve uneconomic and Unnecessary
IRON, Tho point OF view OF railroad opera =
iion and extremely burdensofne upon tho
nuhllc which pays the bill This sched-
,in ~ wages and OF working conditions
prevents the railroads from dealing
eoultabIy with their labor costs IN ac-
cordauce with rapidly changing conditions
and the great variety OF local considera
lions which ought TO control wages IN
different parts OF the country. The rail-
roads are seeking to have these rules and
wording conditions abrogated.
Tn raIlros y W., seek q reduc