The New York herald., 1922-06-29
RATES TO PACIFIC
CUT 20 TO so P. C.
Withdrawal of American Ha-
waiian From Conference
Opens All Schedules.

Rates on cargo moving from coast to
coast were slashed 20 to 80 per cent.
yesterday in consequence of the with
drawal of the Americana n-Hawaiian
Steamship Company from the Atlantic
Intercoastal Conference. The remaining
declared rates open. TO be quoted at the
discretion of the individual lines. I'M
mediately afterward wholesale cuts were
made on the entire list of commodities
now entering into intercoastal freight
movement. 1t was shippers market.
The conference although determined
to continue functioning. was obliged to
acknowledge that with the powerful
American-Hawaiian interests. operating
close TO 100000 deadweight tons of ship
ping, free to quote their own rates, any
attempt to maintain fixed tariffs was
futile
Charges and counter charges of vio-
lations OF conference agreements were
made by both sides to the controversy
but the consensus was that there was
little hope for resumption OF normal
conference control of rates and operating
conditions until the over tonnaged state
of the intercoastal- trade could be re-
factors and until all the lines deter
mined to abandon secret rate cutting
and other disturbing practices.
An incidental consequence of the
action of the conference members re-
garded as of much Importance was the
virtual cancellation of the alleged dis
criminatory agreements with regard to
Providence and New London on the At
lantic coast and Tacoma, Astoria and
other ports on the Pacific. In response
tc protests from local interests at these
ports, the Shipping Board was planning
hearings with a view possibly to order
Ing a permanent suspension of the agree
ments.
w. b. Keene, traffic manager for the
Shipping Board, who was here from
Washington especially on this phase of
the situation, expressed the opinion that
the action on rates taken by the con-
ference automatically Cancelled the
agreements on the ports and left the jn-
dividual lines free to make what calls
they saw fit, as we'll as to establish their
own rates.
In the specific case of Providence, tile
Atlantic. Gulf and Pacific Company had
been fined by the conference for quoting
Il terminal instead of transshipment
rate for cargo moving from the port and
this had led to the protest of representa-
lives of the port.
1t was indicated that another conse-
quence of the disturbances may be
drastic changes in the plans for acQuir
ing additional tonnage known to be
nourished by some of the intercoastal
companies. Despite the fact that 500. 600
tons of shipping. more than enough tc
haidle the available traffic, have been,
on the coast to coast run. business has
Keen fairly good and the returns better
than American companies could expect
in foreign trade. In view of the
catastrophe fail in rates, It is antici-
pated that an entirely different COM
plexion will be put upon the matter.
Encouraged by the favorable condi-
tions in intercoastal trade. receivers for
the Green Star Steamship Company
were preparing to have seven of the
company's vessels operated in a service
out of Southern and Gulf ports for
Pacific ports, and this expected augmen-
tation of the tonnage on the route is
ascribed in some quarters as one OF the
causes of the recent conference dis
turoances.