Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-06-12

|by which they went up. before the great
days of low cost freight and low cost
passenger transportation are restored
to the American people.
Many writers reflect this viewpoint.
and while predicting decided reductions
in specific commodities do not look
with favor on a horizontal cut. In
this connection the Cleveland Plain
Dealer (Ind. DEM remarks:
machinery already exists by which
rate adjustments can be made in the
case of commodities that cannot be
moved because of exorbtant shipping
charges. Such reductions should in the
public interest be made as quickly as
possible, but no blanket reduction
should now be agitated. A larger net
income for the railroads is essential to
the maintenance of the countrys
transportation system
The Worcester Telegram tRep.(
does not look for instant adjustment
If wages and salaries were "the only
expense" it explains, this might be ac-
comphshed. but it is the invisible ex
penses" which "carry on" and these
depend. the Springfield Union rep
points out. ION how far the process of
deflation is to run before it reaches
what must be considered a normal
state of things" All that the wage cut
will do. says the Buffalo Commercial
Ind) will be to enable the roads ito
pay current expenses and leave some
thing over: but it will not give the
shipper and traveller hope of lower
freight rates and passenger fares" be-
cause cit meets the situation only half
way" The Express Ind. Rep of the
same city things that ''it probably will
be found that the carriers will go
slow in the matter of reduction The
Providence Journal Ind.l sees no
cause for objections on the part of the
workers since men whose wages have
been advanced from one to two humid
red per cent assuredly have no reason
to complain of an average reduction of
only twelve per cent nor does it hold
out any hope for lower rates unless
"the wage question is reopened.
There is a good deal of outspoken
presidents intervention in behalf of
cheaper transportation. president
Harding showed commendable ap-
probation of popular sentiment on this
point" says the New York Globe
Ind. when he walked over to the Of
flee Of the Interstate Commerce com
mission to suggest in a discreet way
that the rates be revised downward.
In this act there was something Of n
Rooseveltian flavor" comments the St
Louis Post Dispatch Ind) for it was n
well-timed "coup" and freight rates"
the Post Dispatch thinks. must come
down to figure that the traffic can
bear" President Harding's reported
insistence upon freight reduction does
him credit, in the eyes of the Hart
ford Times DEM which also feels
that rates must go down with wages.
The New York Tribune rep. looks
upon the fact that the president is
"actively concerned as "the first stem
toward insuring the public once more
Of the benefits of an efficient. hiph
class railway service
But not everyone is satisfied that Mr.
Harding has cut the Gordian knot
Among these critics is the Philadelphin
Record (lnd. Dem.) which SAYS:
IF the president is convinced that
the welfare Of the country demands
lower rates, we respectfully suggest
that he undertake to see how ii can
be effected without running the railway
companies. instead of asking the in.
terstate commerce commission what II
IL Going TO do about it,