South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-12-18
SHIPPERS
COMBAT EXCESS
FREIGHT RATES
Fulkerson Heads Organization
Covering Four States to
Present Claims.
CHARCEDISCRDINATION
Seek Removal of % Percent
Charge Association Meets
Here Friday.

In the rate hearings before the Ia
terstRte Commerce Commission IN
Washington on the question of the
possibility or granting decrease IN
freight rates, South Bend promises
10 be one Of the great storm centerz
about which the fight wllI center.
The city's prominence in the hear
ings Will come from the fact that
it IS the headquarters 10 the organ
izaton that win. e IS believed. have
the strongest case against the rail-
roads 10 present 20 the commission.
This organization is the Ohio. Indl-
ana, Illinois and Michigan Shippers
association. OF which o. A. Fulker-
son OF the O'Brien Narnish Co. is
president and ". T. Chandler OF thu
Dodge Manufa curing Co. MIshawar
ka, and also president of the Nation
al Purchasing Agents association.
Is treasurer. The membership OF
the association Includes practically
every manufacture and big shipper
IN the city. and a large number OF
members throughout the four states
from which 70 draws support
In its appearance before the In~
terstate Commerce Commi ssfon. this
association will not be a petitioner
for a reduction in rates but rather
for the removal OF a discriminatory
Is per cent from the rate structure
or the Central Freight association
territory which Is made up OF the
four states from which the ascot
alton draws fts membership. The
associations contention Is that the
&c. F. A territory IS paying az the
present time and has been paying for
nearly two years past. 26 per cent
in freight more than II should be re-
quired to pay. and that this excess
is discriminatory and should be re-
moved. In actual cost 10 shippers.
this excess means the payment Of
;13 more on every 500 freight bnl
than should be paid. AS this over
charge payment has been realized
by manufacturer and shippers
throughout the territory. the assocl-
alton has very greatly increased its
membership. and there a. a very gen
eral unanimity 20 have this excess
charge removekI so that the shippers
Of the territory can be restored TO a
competitive basis, as far as freight
rates are concerned. with the ship
pers OF Eastern freight territory OF
which g. r.. A. territory Is a sub
division
War Caused Increase
The explanation OF the discrimtna-
tory excess on @. =. A territory made
by the association IS that in 1917
this territory received a Is per cent
increase IN freight rates when nons
Of the other freight territories in
the country were affected by any
increase at all. At the time 10 was
explained that Il was an emergency
Increase caused by war conditions
and would be removed as soon as
the emergency passed. Following
that Increase OF Is per cent. an
other Increase Of 25 per cent was
made. and final one OF 40 Per
cent, each OF these rates being conn
pounded on the rate existing az the
time OF the increase. and the result
OF this compromising has been that
tho Is per cent increase that a.. r A
territory had above all other freight
territory I'm the United States has
mounted 20 IS IA per cent. As re-
suit OF q freight rates in the terri
tory were Increased IO1 ID per
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