The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1921-03-30
VEXED PROBLEM
BEFORE Cabinet
Harding and Advisers Talk of Rail-
ways.
OTHERS CALLED IN
Chairmen of Two Government Agen-
c'cs Will BE Summoned to
White House.

Washington, March 29.-A compro-
hensive study of American railway
conditions was begun by the admins
tratlon today with view of formu-
latlon Of definite program for rail.
way rehabilitation. For more than
an hour President Harding discussed
the problem with his cabinet and later
~ was announced that he would call
INTO consultation within the next few
days the chairmcn of the two ~ovarn,
ment agencies having closest contact
WIN the transportation problems
lhe interstate commerce commission
ana the railway labor board. Con
lerclces with railway managers and
employees are expected to follow il,
tlmc to permit action at the con,inw
SPECIAL session of congress.
Discussion at the cabinet meeting
was only of preliminary, indccisiye
CHARACTER but there were Indications
mat the chief executive and official
ADVISERS were much concerned over
Information which, so far, has come
INTO their possession.
The most serious features of tho s;t-
uatlon ,as it has been pictured TO nd-
mlnlStration officials is the apparcnt
maolllty of the carriers themselves
TO make both ends meet and at the
same time keep service up to stand
ard. number of high railway Of
MEALS have called on Mr.. Hardinp
since his election and have told him
mat unless some way to increased
earning was found the whole trans
portatlon system Of the nation faced
paralysis. Such Il possibility the rail
way men have insisted, could only be
viewed as Il public calamity.
1T is understood that ALTHOUGH fcw
definite remedial programs have bnon
suggested in these conferences most
OF those who have presented the cor-
r!erS' sid e of the problem have ad-
rlScd against any general increase in
freight rates. A further material
rate increase in the present condition
or the nations industry, Ny. HARDING
mas been told. mi"ht .'raui, in such
curtallmcnt of traffic us to reduce
earnings rather than increascthcn.
On their side the railway EMPLOYEES
nave vigorously protested against a
wage reduction as an economy eXpe-
nlent declaring that living costs re-
quire that wages should remain un-
changed. All along the possibility
of Il general railway strike has
made both railway executives and
governments agencies think twice
"hcn"'er wage cut has been sug-
gcstca.
gel 20 this and contributing ma
tcriallN to the present unsettled con-
d.N IN of the industry has been the
c"n!usion and Inconvenience of re-
storing the roads from war time to
a. peace time basis and of unscramb-
ilng the various properties after a
iohg PERIOD OF operation as one sys-
tenn under government control.
IL remains question whether the
roads will ask congress for direct fl
1ancial relief in addition to that pro
rided under the transportatio nact to
compensate them for deterioration of
their property while it was in gov
ernment hands. Such proposal it is
believed would be certain to develop
bitter opposition i'm some quarters,
adding another complication to
situation that is expected to develop
some very knotty problems before
INC admins Stration and congress have
found 2 solution.