Catoctin clarion., 1921-10-27

1t will thus be noted that during the
years when other Industries were max
Ing very large profits, when the prices
of farm products and the wages Of Ia.
Dor were soaring to unheard-Of heights,
the earnings upon railroad investment
In the United States were held within
very narrow limits and that they have
during the past four years progress
sively declined.
Roads Handicapped More Than Other
Business
2. The railroads are responsible to
the public for providing adequate
transportation. Their charges are lin
tied by public authority. and they are
In very large respects (notably for Ia.
bOr) compelled to spend money on a
basis fixed by public authority. The
margin within which they are permit
ted to earn a return upon their Invest
ment or to offer inducements to attract
new capital for extensions and better
ments Is extremely limited However
much the railroads might desire, there
fore, TO reduce their charges In times
Of depression, It will be perceived that
the limitations surrounding their ac-
tion do not permit them to give effect
to broad and elastic policies which
might very properly govern other lines
of business not thus restricted.
1t has been urged upon the railroads
that a reduction In rates will stimu-
late traffic and that increased trafiic
will protect the carriers from the loss
incident to a reduction In rates. The
railroad mana gements cannot disguise
from themselves that this suggestion is
merely conjectural and that an adverse
result Of the experiment would be dis
astraus not only to the railroads, but
to the public, whose supreme need Is
adequate transportation. Consequently
the railroad managements cannot feel
justified in placin these Instrumental
ties, so essential to the public welfare,
at the hazard Of such an experiment
based solely upon such conjecture.
Farmers Especially Need Lower Ratss
It 10 evident. however that existing
transportation charges bear In many
cases q disproportionate relationship to
the prices at which commodities can be
sold in the market and that existing labor
and other costs Of transportation thus
imposed upon industry and agriculture
generally a burden greater than they
should bear. This is especially true Of
agriculture. The railroad managemsnts
are feeling sensitive 20 and sympathetic
with the distressing situation and de-,
sire to do everything to assist In reliev-
Ing II that Is compatible with their duty
to furnish tho transportation which the
public must have
At the moment railroads in many cases
are paying 40c. and hour for unskilied
labor when similar labor Is working along
side the railroads and can easily be OBJ
tained by them at zoe. an hour. The
railroads of the country paid in 1890 .
unskilled labor alone. However desirable
II may be to pay this or that schedule
Of wages. Il 10 obvious that It cannot be
Industries. which use the railroads are
capable OF meeting such charges
The railroads, and through, them the
people generally. are also hampersd In
Of working rules and conditions now in
force as q heritage from the period Of
Federal control and upheld by the Rail-
road Labor Board. Thcse conditions are
from the point OF view of railroad opera
tion and extremely hurdensome upon the
public which pays the bill This schsd-
ule Of wages and Of working conditions
prevents the railroads from dealing
sauitably with their labor costs Ia ao-
cordance with rapidly changing conditions
and the great variety OF local considers
tions which ought to control wages in
different parts of the country. The rail.
roads are seeking to have these rules ana
working conditions sbrogated
The railroads will seek q reduction In
wages now proposed by first requesting
the sanction Of the Railroad Labor Board.
The railroads will proceed with all possi-
Bile dispatch. and as soon "a the Railroad
Labor Board shall have given its assent
TO the reduction of wages the general
reduction In rates viii be put into effect.