The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1921-11-18
Roads Handicapped More Than other
Business


Business
2. 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 (notably for la
bor) compelled to spend money on
basis fixed by public authority. The
margin within which they are permit
ted to earn a return upon their invest
ment or to offer inducements to at
tract new capital for extensions and
betterments is extremely limited
However much the railroads might
desire, therefore, to reduce their
charges in times of depression, it will
be perceived that the limitations sur
rounding their action do not permit
them to give effect to broad and elias
tic policies which might very properly
govern other lines of business not'
thus restricted.
1t has been urged upon the railroads
that a reduction in rates will stimu-
late traffic and that increased traffic
will protect the carriers from the loss
incident to a reduction in rates. The
railroad arrangements cannot disguise
from themselves that this suggestion
is merely conjectural and that an ad-
verse result of the experiment would
be disastrous not only to the rail !
roads, but to the public, whose SUI
preme need is adequate transporta-
ton. Consequently the railroad man,
agements cannot feel justified in plac- |
ing these instrumentalities, so essen |
tial to the public welfare, at the haz- 1
ard of such an experiment based sole 1
ly upon such a conjecture
Farmers Especially Need Lower Rates. I
1t is evident, however, that existing 1
transpor tation charges bear in many 1
cases a disproportionate relationship to .
the prices at which comm ODDITIES can be .
sold in the market and that existing labor
and other costs OF transportation thus
impose upon industry and agriculture
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 reliev-
ing IL that is compatible with their duty
to furnish the transportation which the
public must have.
At the moment railroads in many cases
are paying 40c. an hour for unskilled
side the railroads and can easily be OBJ
tanned by them at zoe. an hour. The
railroads Of the country paid in 1920 a
total Of considerably over 81 800 ,O00. 900 TO
unskiled labor alone. However desirable
It may be to pay this or that schedule
Of wages, il is obvious that il cannot be
paid out Of railroad earnings unless the
which use the railroads are
capable OF meeting such charges.
The railroads. and through them the
people generally. are also hampered in
heir efforts to economic by a schedule
Df working rules and conditions now in
force as a heritage from the period Of
Federal control and upheld by the Rail-
road Labor Board. These conditions are
expensive, uneconomic and unnecessary
from the point Of view OF railroad opera
ion and extremely burdensome upon the
public which pays the bill. This sched-
ale Of wages and Of working conditions
,reventN the railroads from dealing
with their labor costs in ac-
,or5ance with rapidly changing condi-
ions and the great variety Of local con-
alterations which ought to control wages
n different parts Of the country. The rail-
Dads are seeking 10 have these rules and
working conditions abrogatcd-
The railroads viii seek a reduction in
wages now proposed by first requesting
he sanction Of the Railroad In Dor Beard.
rhe railroads viii proceed with an posi-
lie dispatch. and as soon as the Railroad
.abor Board shall have given its assent
o the reduction Of wages the general
efiurf ON in Hatre viii nr1t fufn efTana Z