Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-28
suffer and the railroads will continue

suffer and the railroads will continue
TO lose.
A number OF Senators and Repre-
sentatsves. realizing the urgent neces-
slty for relief, have introduced bills
providing for reimbursement of passen-
ger rates to the end that those whose
business II IL TO travel great deal
may do 40 at much less than II now
costs them.
Bills looking to this end were in
troduced during the last session by
senator Mckellar, of Tennessee; SEN
ator Lenroot. OF WISCONSIN; Senator
Harris. OF Georgia; Senator Robinson,
OF Arkansas: Representative Kahn. of
Kentucky; Representative Flood tnew
dcceascd of Virginia. and Representa-
tive Jacoway, OF Arkansas.
On December % Senator Robinson
secured unanimous consent to con-
slider. January IL. 1929. the bill to
permit the issuance of Interchangeable
mileage tickets.
Senator Robinson. backed by num-
ber of thoughtful and far-seeing men
In both houses of congress. is going
To make an effort TO so adjust the pas
senger rates on the railroads as 70
give immediate relief to both the trav-
cling public and the railroads.
There is no one thing that con-
tributes more TO the high cost of liv-
ing than the high cost of railroad
travel and railroad freight and express
rates. particularly in so far as the
! I'll e.
cerned." said Senator Robinson In a
staterSent explaining the necessity for
mileage books. The railroad rates
both freight and passenger. and the
Pullman car rates. are today prohibit
tive. and they have practically
throttled the business life and COM
mercial devel" pment Of the nation
and are more to blame than any on,
thing for the great number of unem-
ploy,d throughout the country"
Senator Robinson pointed out thai
during the first six months of this
year the passenger fares paid TO 16S
/ railroads amounted 10 S573.254,21l
against s564 4.5S6.242 for the first 81,
months of 1920 before the increas,
went into effect, and these fares wer,
with 595,17l.ooo for the same perio,
OF 1920. while the average journey fol
/ the 1921 period was 35.04 against 80
/ il miles for the 1920 period. Eacl
| traveller paid an average of 3.l3 cent,
mile for his railroad Transportation
as against 2.60 FOR the first six month";
" 1920.
Freight revenues for the first 81,
months of 1921 totalled s1.S6S. .S36. 80
as against s1,S60. .94S,323 for the 1872
period. The tonnage. however, like tn
passenger travel. dropped from 1920.
IFS in the 1920 period to 779,360 70
the 1921 period.
These figures speak for themselve
most eloquently." declared Senate
Robinson, "and every week continue
10 show a decrease in both passenger
freight and Pullman traffic. II is tn
old story of killing the goose that lay
the golden egg. and unless some mea
sure Of relief Is found there is moth
ing ahead but disaster, not only 70
the railroads but for the commercia
existence Of our country"
Legislation now pending before con
gress provides for the issuance c
mileage books. interchangeable, non
transferable, good on all interstat
roads, at pa cents per mile.
II is urged by Senator Robinson an
those who are supporting him in tn
fight for relief that the passage
, this legislation would be of great i'm
mediate benefit TO both the railroad
| and the country and would do more
relieve the unemployment situatio
, and bring about activity in the agr
cultural. industrial and commerci
. world than any Legislation that ha
been suggested or could be suggeste
to the congress at the present tim
and IL has the unequivocal indors,
ment OF the great travelling publ
who represent the lifeblood of II
! nation.
Due TO this prohibitive cost
/ travel a depression exists in practica
~ all lines of business, not only Il
= railroads, the Pullman cars, and Il
hotels, but also the theatres, movir
picture houses. restaurants, depar
, ment stores. drug stores. news stand
{ public conveyances, and even new
, boys and bootblacks are feeling Il
70 decrease in business" said Senat
e Robinson, and quite naturally it fC
. lows that our government will al
feel II in reduced income from
, various sources of taxation, tn
would not have resulted under norm
transportation conditions. The Pres
dent in his wisdom has already su
gested in his message TO congre,
the necessity for reduction in tran
/ pOrtation rates"