, 1921-12-15
WAR ON THE INTERIOR.

The Spokane Spokesman-Review In showing the
public the injustice Of the request Of transcontinent III
railroads in their appeal to the interstate commerce
commission for reduction of freight rates to Pacific
coast terminals at the expense Of the interior terri
tory. The Spokesman-Review thus states the case:
"The transcontinental railroads are asking the in
terstate commerce commission for authority to slash
freight rates to the Pacific coast terminals, while at
the same time keeping up wartime freight rates to
all parts of the interior. A series Of hearings before
an examiner Of the commission is now in progress.
The first hearing was held at Chicago November II,
and the last scheduled hearing is for New York, JAN
uary IS. Other hearings have been held or will be
held, ut Denver, Helena, Salt Lake, Boise, Spokane,
Portland, San Francisco, Reno, Atlanta, Ga, and New
Orleans. &
"If the interstate commission should grant the ap-
p~lication of the railroads, the whole interior country
would suffer a staggering blow and its future growth
be retarded incidentally.
"As no great manufacturing concern could con-
tinue to pay wartime wages while its competitors
were allowed to cut their wages to a pesce-time basis,
SO no community could go on prospecting If it should
be compelled to pay wartime freight rates while its
competitors were allowed, even in large part, to re-
turn to pre-war freight rates.
Between June 81. 1917, and September 1, 1920,
the railroads of the United States were permitted to
make four general increases in freight rates. These
increases, according to the bureau of railway eco
nomics, totaled on the average rs per cent in 1921
over 1915. If the transcontinental roads are given
permission by the interstate commerce commission,
they will maintain these excessive rates all over the
interior, but at the same time will reduce terminal
rates from 20 to 80 per cent. -
"The gross injustice of that proposition requires no
argument.
Moreover, it is a wrong national policy. The rail
reads are proposing these low rates at the TERMINALS
IN a purpose to engage in a rate war with the ships
The amazing spectacle is thus presented of the own
ers of the privately owned railroads going before a
public agency, the interstate commerce commission,
asking for authority to engage in a ruinous rate war
with the ships of the American merchant marine, built
and owned by the American people at the enormous
outlay Of nearly $4,000, o00, 900.
mo sound reason can be advanced why the Amer
lean people should allow the railroads to drive their
ships off the seas or out Of the harbors- Quite to the
contrary, it will be sound. national policy to make the
fullest utilization of the transportation services of the
nation, the ships as well as the railroads, and not al
low one to destroy the other.
1.-THE sooner the natural division of service between
the railroads and the ships is brought about, stabilized
ane protected by law, the better will it be in the long
run for the railroads and the nation. If a part of the
transportation service across the American continent
can be more economically performed by the railroads
they are entitled to take that service.
at is equally true that il a part of the transports
United States can be more economically performed by
the ships, it will be to the national interest to allow
the ships to render that service.
"The present law lays down the broad, general prin-
cipal that the railroads should not be permitted to
charge more for service to interior communities than
they charge to the coast cities for the longer haul
That law, however, permits the interstate commerce.
commission to make exceptions to the general rule
and the roads have seized upon that provision in the
law to ask permission practically to nullify the law.
1.-THE intermediate Rate association, comprising
more than 200 commercial bodies, farm organizations
mining societies and manufacturing associations, is
fighting with fine spirit and grim determination against
the proposed injustice. These protesting associations
cover Arizona, Nevada, Oregon. Idaho, Montana
Washington, New Mexico, Utah, California, Oklahoma
and Wyoming. They will seek justice first before the
interstate commerce commission. If justice should be
denied them there they will carry their righteous case
to the high courts. In the meantime, they will go to
congress and the president, with a determined demand
for the enactment of an absolute, unqualified long
and short haul clause that will expressly prohibit the
railroads from charging more for the shorter service
to the interior than they charge for the longer, haul
to the coast terminals.
This fight is of tremendous import to all the peo-
pie Of the vast interior. 1t deserves and should have
their enthusiastic, unfagging support. The interior is
engaged in n righteous war against injustice and OPP
nrassion -