Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-10-19
OMPROM|SE URGED
BY FARMERS AS Way
10 END RAIL- STRIKE.
FILE PETITION WITH RAILROAD
LABOR BOARD DEMANDING RE.
Ducr,oN IN FREIGHT AND PAS.
aENeER RATES AS FIRST STEP
TOWARD PEACE.

Chicago, Get, TO- Through pcti'
tiou died with the Interstate com
MERGE commission In Cnic19o asking
that reductions o. from 10 to % pc
cont In freight rrtuS on ba ic neces
sities OF life T. ordered "a. American
Farm Bureau yesterday projected
Itself into the railway transportation
controversy.
At the same time J. r. Howard,
president OF the Farm Bureau, tele-
kraphed invitations to railway execu-
uves and to brotherhood chiefs to join
uirl in conference here. He said he
would urge immediate withdrawal OF
the strike, order and that the labor
board refuse to authorize 10 per cent
reduction in railway employees wages
for the present.
The Farm Bureau appeals on behalf
Of about 1900 900 members. Mr. How
ard said The filing of the petition
WAS determined upon, he explained.
when the Association. of Railway Ex'
scutives. following its meeting here
asst Friday, announced no rate reduc.
'ons would be made until further
tge decreases had been authorized
President Howard contended this
inouncement wassin Reputation OF a
ritual pledge u committee of the rail
seeutives had made Farm Bureau
representatives. and other shippers at
conference In New York last Sep.
.ember
The rate reductions advocated
would represent about $250,000,000.
The Farm Bureau petition names all
class l railways OF the country-about
190--as defendants, and prays that, in
view Of the emergency, hearings be
started at once.
The petition alleges that, while the
Wrmers get no more. and even less.
for their products than before the war
the freight rates they pay average 10
per cent above the pre-war level.
RAILROAD rates today reads an ex
cefpt from the petition, are at the
highest point during the present gen
eration. Practically every other great
industry in America has reduced its
prices during the last year. Even
railroad Tabor has been forced to take
reduction of approximately 100000,
900, in addition to the modification re.
GENTLY ordered In the national work
itig) agreements, and in addition to
several hundred thousand of their
Number being discharged and deprived
OF their daily livelihood And yet our
railroad corporations decline to make
any general reduction at this time.
President Howard issued a state
trlent in connection with the Farm Blu
reau petition.
ION Sept, 81" he said, groups rep
resenting railroads. manufacturers
and shippers, met in New York. Afte"
long discussion, in which railway ex.
ecutives contended that under present
conditions any rate reductions would
mean bankruptcy, a committee con-
sisting Of three railroad executives,
representative Of the National Manu-
facturers' Association, representa-
tive of leading agricultural imple-
ment firm, and myself was appointed
to determine whether it was possible
to proceed further.
I'm this smaller meeting | took the
position that the railways could not
continue any longer to enjoy specia.
favors but must stand on their own
resources and responsibility; that the
present high rates are sitting all bust
ttASs; that recent reports indicate rail-
roads to be more prosperous than any
other class Of business in the nation
Therefore. commended, the least
the roads could do would be to an
riUuiice an immediate reduction on
basic commodities, which would in
cluds agricultural products, building
materials, coal and ore, and that all
subsequent economies in operating ex-
penses should be reflected in decreaS
ed freight rates on these commodities