The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-07
These Are Needs of Railways
Today, Says w. B. Storey.
President of Santa Fe Gives
Conditions to Legislature.
HE EXPLAINS CAR SHORTAGE
Western Roads Now Getting
Their Equipment Back.
Roads to Retain Better Glass of
Labor in the Future.

Views of w. B. Storey, president
of the Atchison. Topeka & Santa Fe
Railway company, on the railroad
question in general and the recent car
shortage in particular have been
brought to the attention of the Kansas
legislature by W. r. Smith, solicitor
of the company. In his statement
President Storey gives an outline of
what happened during the 26 months
of federal control of the railroads. dis
cusses the present situation and tells
what may be expected in the future
THE business of the country" he
says, had increased enormously dur
ing federal control and the number
of frefght-ton miles per mile of road
had increased faster than they had
ever done in like period in the his
tory of the roads.
mo adequate steps had been taken
to meet this growth in business. The
government, in devoting all it's en-
ergieS to war measures, postponed
until the war could be finished such
things as cars, locomotives, and the
necessary improvement to take care
Of these. The owners of the roads
that is, the corporations-could not
provide the necessary additions they,
not knowing how long the government
would keep the roads, had no credit
and could not raise any funds.
The existing equipment of the
roads was not in as good condition
as before the war, because the rail-
road administration believed it good
policy to run all cars and engines just
as long as they could run without re-
pairs, the result being very marked
deterioration of cars. Then again,
cars were pooled which means that
were sent to all parts of the country
which accounts for the large number
of eastern cars which are admittedly
not as good as those of western lines
for handling grain, being scattered all
over the western territory. 4
Loss in Labor Efficiency.
"The labor of the railroads had
been put on an eight-hour basis and
its efficiency had suffered greatly.
This is not stated as a criticism, but
as a fact Other classes of business
had the same experience. The EafI-t
very short of men, and, circumscribed
by rules that had been adopted by the
government administration, they were
not able to get the same results from
the same number of men as formerly.
"All cars in the country had been
widely scattered because of the han
ding of the roads as one system and
TO the coal strike which occurred last
winter. The railroad administration,
which had been given charge of prop
Q1SCE1DuI1nR
hand, sent cars out from their usual |
routes, and many of those belonging
to the extreme east landed in the ex-
treme west. After the strike was over
it had been found impracticable to get
these cars home.
Costs Go Up.
"And lastly, the cost of everything
connected with running the railroads !
had increased, both labor and mater |
ial, to such a degree that the income
that was being received by the gov
ernment was not equal to the cost of |
the service performed.
THE public had, during the war, |
been up against these difficulties, but
it recognized them as due to the war. |
After the armistice 1t looked for bet
terment, but none came. 1t became
convinced that the transportation
problem could be more nearly met by /,
returning the roads to their owners, |
and congress, therefore, passed the
act of 1920, designed to
take the roads out of the governments |
hands and at the same time to estab- |
lish conditions that would rectify the
old laws. 1t placed on the interstate
commerce commission the RESPONSE |
bility of caring for the railroads as
well as protecting the public.
New Rates Compensatory.
1.-THE result of the law has been
that the railroads have recently been
given rates that are as nearly compen- |
satory as it is possible to make them. |
rem embering always that they are not |
final and any inequalities or discrimi- |
nations may be put right in the fu- |
ture.
at Is only lately that the new rates |
have become effective, and the roads !
were run for six months from March !
I under the old rates, but for that |
length of time the earnings were guar |
by the government. That guar |
anty however, ceased September l. 1t
should be remembered further that the
new rates are not effective In full In |
many states.
1920 Crop Crisis.
'1n the meantime, the crop OF 1870 |
came in and the roads seemed utterly |
unable to handle it Cars could not
be furnished for crops which were
pressing to go to market. and while |
waiting for cars the price was con-
dropping. After being loaded
the service was poor and shipments
were delayed; embargoes had to be
issued, and SO fa- as the country coulj !
see there had been no improvement |
over the war period
What, then, has been done. and |
are the railroads today in better SHAPE, |
or are they likely to get in better |
shape?
THE men in charge of the railroads |
fCoutinuei on Page Two.I
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