New-York tribune., 1922-01-03
Unions Accused
Of OfCa'''paign to
Hurt Railroads
Markham, of Illinois Cen.
iraI, Charges Organized
Attempt to Discredit
Management Of Lines
Answers Machinists' Head
Says Distorted Figures Are
Used to Create False
Opinion Of Valuations

Declaring that the spokcsmen os
number Of labor unions arc engaged
IN carrying on y campaign of mig
representation against the railroads 70
discrodlt tho arrangements in the eyes
OF the public. c. H. Markham, prcsi-
dent OF tho Illinois Central system,
yesterday issued reply TO tho open
lcttcr directed to him Ivy William II.
Johnston, president Of the interna-
tlonal Association Of Machinsts, with
headquarters here, denouncins the lat
ter's statements and figures as crro-
ncous
Much Of Mr.. Markham's $ reply is de-
voted TO an attack on hsnres in the
open letter bearing on the valuation Of
tho railroads. and statements made in
the rnissivc arc characterized as "af-
fording most glaring example OF the
kind of Misrepresentation of the rail
ways to which Mr.. Markham had pre-
viously called attention.
Calls Figures Distorted
The letter, in part, is as follows;
you seize upon statistics Of the ten
tativo valuations placed by the Inter
state Commerce Commission upon
twcnty-four railroads, practically all os
which are small and unimportant. and
use them in & way Tat is adapted en-
tirelY TO mislcad' railway employees
and the pubic concerning the facts az
TO the valuation Of tho railroads made
hv tho Interstate Commerce Commi3~
sion.
he statistics to which you refer
were given by Glenn T.. Plumb. author
OF tnc Plumb plan. 10 committee of
the House OF Representatives on De-
ccmber Il. You say these Ggu-ea phow
an sverayc valuation a mile OF track
-or these twcn1y-four railroads OF
$32,717. Then, applying this figure to
the 2s5.000 miles OF line Of all the rail
ways of the United States, you arrive
at nn estimated value for all the rail
roads Of $S,6l0,o 900 .Q0o. which is slo,-
230 600. COO less than the tentative vslu-
sticn Of $4,000. .o0o,oo fixed ny the In
tcrstate Comfncrc" Commission in 1920
Tor rate making purposes.
''Fhc Morost auatcur N rajl~ay
matters can $50 II a glance that your
mcrhod Of using Your own iisures is
entirely erroneous. SINCE you use 'ne
miles OF trach in arriving at yoNr est
mated Valuc a mile, Of these twenty ,
for9 railroads, OF course you sn"u'd
also have usod miles o. tTac", 'nstchd
Of miles Of line, IN making your csti~
nate OF the value OF I'll the railroad 5.
The two things are not thc same. 4
railroad may haVc tNo, or three, Q.
iour. OF cvcn more tfAcka Tor each nl"c
Of line. The railroads o. Snc !, 9!oed 80
States have appfoNunss,e!y suo'uoo
miles OF track and only @5O'ooc m'!cS
OF line.
Charges Indcrvaluation
nr,' ,.o,, hoA nsoJ tj,;. fo,.rn ~
..a,ioco as No., N7nnid hsvs. sioes
,-o,',. est ;r,ate oq ~, os-eraor ,,aluafio-,
- .,o ,nilc "a. 6.cod on +rscl,aor,
.1,o.' .-o,,, osf;,ossc ~ ,bc ,o.sl ~ajHal
~, - IN ,bo ra ;},.fais of thc yritea
S.at.s n.orld harc hsno sAe4o Gnn 600
.,.|s@ ,,,o,' ~ os,;,,,s.c Won .c,,,,ll,r
; <,o .,,a~ 5o ,,o,. ron, $3.50
Hl,, e'.,. he4-a,, o,-;S orre ~ flc c,,,,,-
- -.n.oNt.,+ion bsir, c,,r
T,';nIs or w. r.,4a;, iSl9o, lcYIcrs H..
.,,.er,1a5 0 ,s..,' ..N1,,. n~,, usa - .haec
.:,.'1,.e',s 80 '''''''
- 800 % -,,,;...nr,,...,,-..;oo -, A..
pu: So1' ''.1Sl - J9e q Sn s''t .;,.r-s.
"c0S u; 81 ...,3a W. ,';na. W. ~ ral-