Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-10-17
T.Oo Views of the Rail Problem

THE one 1nfall1ble barometer OF business
activity is railroad traffic. Good
times are busy times. Bad times are
idle times. When times are good people are
buying and selling. That means that freight
is moving.
So there Is something more than an inter-
esting example Of current statitistics in the
statement of President w. A. Winburn that
lin the months Of July, August and September
the Central of Georgia railroad, almost all of
which lies within the confines of the State
OF Georgia, moved 2O0,70S revenue loads of
freight.
These 2oo,7os revenue loads of freight
constituted an increase Of 11,573, or per
cent, over the preceding three months, and
were only 2,135, or 1 per cent, less than dur
ing the peak period of the entire history of
the railroad. August, September and October,
1920.
Certainly those figures should prove con-
yincing even to the most confirmed pessimist.
They come almost simultaneously with a
profound warning sounded in New York City
by Mr.. Samuel o. Dunn, the distinguished ed
itor of The Railway Age and one of the ma
tion's most eminent authorities on transpor-
tation problems.
Mr.. Dunn says that with every other con-
dition favorable to a great national increase
of production and commerce and the won
derful prosperity that would follow, shortage
OF railroad transportation is the one limiting
factor.
production and commerce." Mr. Dunn
says, "are trying to increase as much IS they
did after the panics of 1893 and 1907 and
after the depression of 1914 and 1915, but
the capacity Of the railroads has not increas-
ed within recent years as it formerly did.
That is the principal reason why the country
is confronted with a shortage Of transporta-
ton that is preventing the speeding up of
production in the mines, the mills and the
factories.
Mr.. Dunn then gives his own opinion as
% the cause of this failure to expand prop
,rly. '"The condition is DUE" he says, "to
the policy Of government regulation which
or fifteen years has restricted and reduced
he net returned by them. They can
lever raise capital enough to develop their
facilities and handle the country's business
until they can earn larger net return"
'The> public he says persists in regard
ng the railroad problem as chiefly one of
'ates. It will lose, llore in short period by
this lack of transportation than it has gain
I'd in the last ten years by keeping rates on
basis which has almost stopped railroad
Development
Mr.. Dunn thus puts the blame squarely
up to the people, saying their will as execut-
I'D through the interstate commerce commits
SiOn and the state regulatory boards has re-
suited in such low earnings that capital ade-
7uate to the expansion needs cannot be OBJ
sained There may be a good deal of truth
n what he says. Certainly Mr.. Dunn is
eminent in the railway field. But it must be
remembered that, by reason of that very posi-
lion of eminence, Mr.. Dunn sees from the
viewpoint and speaks from the standpoint of
the railroad manager. And allowance must
be made for the bias incident to that position.
Is it not likely that some, if not much #
the trouble lies with the railroad manage
ments?
Let us look back at other parts of Presi-
dent Winburns statement, reference to which
waa made in earlier DaragraDhS
President Winburn reports, with pride
which needs no pardon and which is only to
be admired, that the operating management
of the Central of Georgia railroad made four
records during the month of September, just
ended. These records were made despite the
: lnfavorable influ once of the strike of the
shopmen, and were as follows
First, more freight tons were handled than
sver before in the history of the system.
Second, freight was handled with more
gpeed than ever before in the history Of the
Iystem, daily average of 34.19 miles per
,ar per day being made.
Third, the net ton miles per car per day
was >613, the greatest in the history Of the
y system.
Fourth, the percentage of loaded car miles
to empty car lines was 70, the highest IN
the history Of the system.
No reference was made in President Win
burns statement 20 economy record his rail
road is making in reducing the consumption
Of coal. But it is equivalent in dollars and
cents to six per cent return on many mil
lions of capital.
By effecting real econmies, by eliminating
wastes, and by handling more freight pc
car and more cars per engine and by running
these trains more miles per day, one large
southern railroad is meeting the demands
put upon it.
It may be that the maximum attainable il
the way Of efficiency would not solve tn
broad transportation problem that menace
our country but certainly the railroad
should exert every effort to that attainmen
hafo further increases in rates.