The daily times., 1921-12-14


the years when stAsr Industries were
making very large prsdts. when the
prices Of farm products and tie waGss
Of labor we're soaring TO nnAsard-of
heights, the sarHings up0s railroad
Investment in the URiteA States were
held within very narrow limits and
that they have during the past four
years progressively declined.
Roads handicapped Mere Than Other
Dusinsss.
Z. The railroads arc respon sibIe to
the public for providing adequate
transportation. Their charges are lin
tied by public authority. and they are
in very large respect tnotabiy for
labor) compelled to spend money on
. basis. hxed by public authority. The
margin within which they are permit
ted to earn = return upon thsir in
vestment or to Offer inducements to
attract new capital for extensions and
betterments is extremely limited.
desire, therefore. to reduce their
charges in times of depression. it will
be perceived that the Limitations sur
rounding their action 90 not permit
them to give effect to broad and elias
tic policies which might very prop
erly govern other lines Of business net
thus restricted.
It has been urged upon the railroads
that reduction in rates will stimulate
traffic and that increased traffic VIII pro-
tect the carriers from the loss incident
to . reduction in rates. The railroac
managsments cannot disguise from them-
selves that this susgestien - merely con-
the experiment would be disastrous, not
only to the railroads. but to the public
whose supreme need 10 adequate trans
Consequently the railroad managements
cannot feel justified in placing these In
welfare. at the hazard Of such an experi-
nlent based solely upon such conjecture
Farmers Especially Need Lever
transportation ar PC charges Sear in many
prces ss at (Which" WHICH comm Commodities can be - sold old
az and other costs of Transportation thus
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 desire
to do everything to assist in relieving
II that IS cOnpASdOie Will tHcH uuSy u
furnish transportation which the public
must have.
At the moment railroads in many cases
are paying 40 cents hour for unskilled
labor when similar labor is working along
side the railroad and can easily be OBJ
tanned by them at 20 cents an hour. The
railroads of the country paid in 1917
total of considerably over 81 ,30o, o000 00e to
unskilled labor alone. However desirable
it may be to pay this or that sched uie of
wages. it is obvious that it cannot be
paid out Of the railroad earnings. unless
the industries which use the railroads are
CAPABLE of meeting such charges.
Tho railroads. and through them the
people generally are also hampered in their
efforts to economize by schedule Of
working rules and conditions now In
force as q heritage from the period Of
Federal control and upheld by the rail-
expensive, uneconomic and unnecessary
from the point OF view of railroad opera
ton and extremely burdensome upoa the
public which pays the bill. The schedule
Of wages and of working conditions pre-
vents the railroads from dealing eQuita-
bly, with their la Dor and costs in accord
ancs with rapidly changing conditions and
the great variety Of local considera tions
which ought 60 control wa8cs in saihler-
are seeking to have these rules and
voSldnE conditions abrogated.
TAA railroads will seek q reduction 4.
vaGes now DRopesed by 6rst requesting
tl>e sanction ~ the railroad labor board
TAo railr0GAs will proceed with all pes.
sfSio AisOe teh, and rs soon -. the railroae
fabSr hoard shall have gives fts asssns
t. The reduction in vasss the general -
ductiSa in rates wilt be put into s1set-