New-York tribune., 1921-09-27
Liners Cut Rates
On Grain in Fight
On Tramp Steamers
Shipping Board Is Advised
Of Material Reductions
Agreed To by Operators
i'll Conference Here
From the Tribune's Washington Bureau


WASHINGTON, Sept. 26. = Agree
ment to-day on 81 revision downward OF
the rates for grain cargoes carried by
the Shipping Beard to have a wide
spread effect on lessening the business
.of tramp steamers, which have been
making great inronds on the business
of the larger lines by reason of cut
rates on shipments.
According to information reaching
the Shipping Board to-day from New
York, the United Kingdom and Cont
mental conference agreed upon the fol-
lowing rates for the balance OF the
year on grain:
Wheat and corn to the. United King
dom, II cents hundred; to Rotterdam
and Antwerp, 1914 cents Il hundred, and
to Hamburg, 1S cents hundred.
On wheat flour and other commodi-
ties, the cent differential will be in
effect.
This new rate, which applies only to
the North Atlantic lines, is considered a
material reduction over the previous
as 20 cents in some instances.
1t was agreed by the three groups
of gateways, Montreal, North Atlantic
and the Gulf, that each will have in
dividual jurisdiction over grain rates
out of their ports. 1t is believed that
the Montreal and Gulf lines will i'm
mediately hold meetings and revise the
present rates downward to meet the
competition offered by the tramp lines
The new rates, it is believed in Ship
ping Board circles, will practically
eliminate the tramp steamers as car
riers of grain to the Continent, and
will have the effect of increasing the
receipts Of the North Atlantic liners.
Tentative states have been made ur
OF the officials who are to serve on
the export and import committees OF
the steamship and railroad lines that
are to meet on Thursday to discuss
Gulf and the Eastern trunk lines. This
is one of the most important moves
to be made in stimulating trade in
north Atlantic ports, and is a forerun.
ner of an appeal to the Interstate Com
merce Commission for relief:
The steamship men who probably
will be represented on the committee
are Delos Cooke, of the Cunard Line;
a; c.. Feteroff, International Mercan-
tile Marine Company; C. J. Beck
united American Lines, chairman; R
y AHoShdIa, AuCkenDdCn steam s hin
Company; F. M. Volk, Holland -Ameri-
can Lines; j. j. McAuliffe, Norton
Lilly & Co.; Mr.. Lowack, of Phelps
Brothers, and Mr.. Blackstone of Fur
ness, Witty & Co.
R. N. Collier, vice chairman of the
traffic executive committee for the
Eastern territory, and H. C. ingalls,
of the New York Central Lines, are
said to be on the railroad committee.
The Produce Exchange has nomi
mated standing railroad committee te
consult with the traffic executives re.
garding matters of interest to north
Atlantic shippers. On this body will be
Q. M. Mitchell. F. A. Ryan, II. Myers
Bogert, Walter Moore and A. C. Field
At present it costs on an average S
cents more to ship grain from Missouri
and Kansas through the North Allan.
tic than it does through the Gulf ports
On September / the Eastern trunk
lines made a reduction of 81 cents or
grain. This was followed by a cut
September s, Of 5h cents hundred
pounds on grain to Gulf points.
These rates make present differen-
tial from Kansas City to Baltimore of
9 cents and from Omaha 7 cents in
favor of the Gulf. The Philadelphia
rail rate is u cent higher than Balti.
more and New York is IL cents
higher.