The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1921-06-03

i 't provokes me when q ten-tor
truck forces my automobile into tn
ditch, because it 81 has freight tha1
should be carried BY the railroads,
he said.
W4ter transportation is deadly .
/ competition and the government
1 should pr0tecf the Eai1roadas fran
! it.. He wouldn't say that tie
improvements Of water courses
/ should be abandoned as nation
al policy, but he contended that
| tolls should be levied against
boats that would make it impos-
sible for them to compete for
| traffic.
Wants Rates Kept Up. S.
I Several senator's conducted Krs1tt-
schnitt thru a long examination on
the subject of high rates. He didn't
think they had a disastrous effect on
revenues. Many instances were cited
by Senators Townsend and Pomerene
of important industries having been
compelled to close down because they
could not meet transportation charges,
and Kruttschnitt was asked whether
it would not have been wiser to ac-
cept a half loaf than go without
bread. He didn't think So. There
may have been injustices," he admit
ted, but the railroads would be very
glad to smooth them out if they were
brought to the attention of the pro-
per officials. S.
Kruttschnitt was cooked and prim-
ed on the subject of railroad wages.
They were too high, he said, and must
be reduced. down along my line,'
he told the committee, 1--WE can Sc
cure unskilled laborers for several
times less than we are now compelled
to pay. We think we should be. per-
mitted to employ men for any wages
they are willing to accept. !" Is.
He failed to say that the labor
ers available are impoverished
Mexicans who are being enticed
across the border and unmerci-
fully exploited in the "pluck-me"
stores maintained for the profit
Of high officials Of the Southern
Pacific.
Don't you think, Mr.. Kruttschnitt,"
asked Senator Townsend, chat the
railroads would have been in better
position, as matter of equity, in
asking for a reduction of wages If
they had not demanded and received
large increases of rates?"
Kruttschnitt Sidesteps Question.
The question remains unanswered.
Kruttschnitt came back with the pro-
position that the rate increase was
very small for 1920, and that had
business not fallen off it might not
have been necessary to interfere with
wages.
You have not answered my ques-
ton directly" retorted Senator Town
send. "Please do so. Didn't you
ALLEVIATE public opinion by asking and
receiving high rates and then asking
for reduction Of wages ?" e
Il don't know how the public re-
CARDS it, Kruttschnitt answered.
The railroads must have lower
wages there is no help for it,
Senator Pomerene declared
that, as he viewed the situation,
if rates were kept up industry
would be handicapped, and if they
were reduced the railroads would
be ruined, and Kruttschnitt was
inclined to agree with him.
The transportation act, Kruttsch-
nit declared, had been given fair
test, and he was opposed to any
amendments at this time He re-
garded it as the most constructive
legislation on the railroad subject
ever considered by congress.
Labor Board Is Censured.
He wasn't pleased with the way the
railroad labor board had been act
ing, contending that it shculd move
more rapidly in making its decisions.
Senator Cumnins pointed out that
the wage controversy had been sub
mitted less than week ago and
wanted to know whether the witness
considered that as undue delay. He
declared that he had not been keep
ing in touch with the proceedings be-
fore the labor board and was unable
to say what the railroads had been
doing since last August until few
weeks ago, when Atterbury presented
his preemptory demand for reduc-
ton of wages.
Isn't it q fact that you were devot-
ing all your time to breaking down
the so-called national agreements and
giving no attention to the financial
needs Of your corporation - Senator
Cunnmins asked.
piled.
Kruttschnitt. admitted that had not
the labor board been set up the rail-
roads would have faced 9 nation-Wide
strike, 'entailing costs beside which
the high freight rates would have
been negligible.
IL was blot out b., Senator Cum