Daily Kennebec journal., 1922-06-19


Maine Bankers Association
half per cent more than WAS noceS-
sary for the trunk lines This differ
ence OF one and one half per cent
amounted TO about 25,000,00o a Year.
which the New England lines claimed
fairly and equitably belonged to thcm.
The interstate Commerce Commits
sion was accordingly asked to order
such divi: ions in through rates be
tween the New England roads and
their western connections as would
make up this difference to the New
England lines. AS YOU know, the
Commission has recently granted
partial relief in this direction ~ its
order that the additional sum of S7,-
100000 shall accrue TO the New Eng
land roads from such through rates.
and being about one third Of the
amount required.
In view Of the greater needs of the
New ENGLAND roads the suggestion
has frequently and earnestly been
made that these roads should be d-
Vorced from the trunk lines ana
placed in a separate group for rate
making purposes. such Il course
would be suicidal The industries Of
Maine and New England are in di-
rect competition with similar indus
tries III trunk line territory and To-
Gated nearer the sources Of raw ma
terials and the great markets.
An increase in rates on the New
England roads matciially greater than
than made on the trunk lines would
therefore have been rlinous to the in
dustries of this section. We must in
group with the trunk lines for rate
making purposes and the New Eng
land roads must continue to place
their dependence upon the Interstate
Commerce Commission to secure such
divisions of through rates as will
cqualze conditions and afford to their
stockholders the same measure of re-
turn as that secured to the roads in
more populous territory. But while
this group should be maintained for
rate making purposes, a consolidation
of our Maine railroads with the great
systems of the Middle West is not ad-
visablc. OF course. such consolida-
tiOn may be required by future lccis-
latiOn. but. if possible, our Maine rail-
roads should he owned by the people
of this state and managed by direc-
tors and officials who are residents OF
Maine and who have it's interests and
development at heart.
Some changes in the method Of adj
justng 1fe -cge question must even
tually be made. Tho wages of rail
road employees in the same classes are
now uniform under the DEGREES Of the
Labor Board. which was created by
the Transportation Act. Without eX-
pressing any opinion Of the reason
ableness of the existing wage sched-
ules. it is obvious that any attempt to
establish wages for the railroads Of
the entire country at a single arbitra :
ry rate, without regard to local con-
ditions. must inevitably produce ine-
quality and disturbance There is no
sound reason why a man in a small
country village should receive the
same wages per hour as man in a
large city, where rents and other liv-
ing costs are much greater. Instead
of a single Labor Board at Chicago
fixing wages uniformly for all sec
tions. local or regional boards of ad-
iustment should he created. who could
establish wages in accordance with
standards and costs Of living and 9TH
er economic conditions in their re-
|srective jurisdictions. Such boards
sre now permitted by the Transporta-
tion Act by agreement between the
carriers and their employees. but their