The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-06-28
TO CUT FREIGHT RATE
IN INDIANA IF COURT
MODIFIES INJUNCTION

INDIANAPOLIS, June 2S.-Reduc-
ton of various freight rates on ship
ments wholly within the state may be
ordered by the public service commits
sion if it can obtain modification of
federal court injunction, which II in
terprets as aboishing its control over
all rates.
A. B. Cronk, head of the commits
sion's rate bureau. said today that he
expected soon to file a petition with
the federal court for modification OF
the injunction. He added that no
! general revision of state rates was
anticipated, explaining that the CON-
mission would act only on specific
/ cases brought by formal complaints
! filed by shippers.
! Many state rates, however, might
! be changed by the state commission,
! Mr.. Cronk said, without causing an
unjust burden on interstate commerce,
! and half a score of petitions for such
! changes are pending before the COM
mission. These petitions for such
! changes are pending before the com
mission. These petitions were filed
! by the lumber, coal and sand and gray-
ell interests. Similar petitions apply
| ing to other commodities might be
| filed and in case a modification of the
| injunction is obtained it is expected
that many such cases would be
| brought by shippers.
I Might Hasten Action.
! In general, these cases would CEN
! ter about shipment of a commodity be-
tween points for which there is no
established commodity rate Such c
situation causes the commodity to
move at the classified" freight rates,
which a higher than commodity
rates, but with the state commission
/ exercising such Jurisdiction it is said
! that an earlier establishment of the
] commodity rates might result.
/ Illustrative of what might be done
with the commission to ptoduce a
cheaper movement within the state OF
| commodities, state officials say that
| sand and gravel rates on the commod-
/ ity schedule apply only for established
movements. The officials point out
that the State Highway commission
may desire to begin a new move
ment in its road work, and that the
commodity rate might be applied by
TIE SOIllI444SS4Ol 1OI SuCu movement,
in the absence of which the shipments
would move at classified rates unless
the carriers establish the commodity
rate.
Shippers Complain.
Complaint also has been made By
shippers that carriers are charging
commodity rates of so and 20 vents
a ton for short-haul coal shipments
which the shippers contend are only q
switching movement bearing a rate oi
$40 car. This question will be deal,
with in case the commission gets g
modification of the Injunction.
Attorney General Lesh has con
ferred with the commission regarding
the state rate situation and in a form
al opinion advised that a modification
of the injunction be sought before at
tempting any change. The injunction
was granted last February on the ap
plication Of the carriers to force ths
Indiana rates to be advanced so as t
meet the level established by the fed
eral interstate commerce commission
last August when it granted the na
tion-wide advances to the roads.
In view of the sweeping charac
ter of the federal court order" sale
the attorney-general, referring to ratt
changes by the state commission, d"
would be fearful that proceedings b.
the state commission would place II,
in the position of violating at Ieas
the spirit of the order if not the lei
ter"