The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-07
TRAFFIC CLUBS ARE
OF GREAT BENEFIT
Have Done Much Toward Bringing
About Better Understanding Be-
tween Railroad and Shipper.

The traffic clubs have done much
toward bringing about better under
standing between railroad men and
shippers and among shippers and rail-.
road men themselves. There is much
that yet can be done. however. Some
OF It could be accomplished under
present conditions but some Of It, per-
haps would call for a widening of the
clubs scope and consequent inclusion
of certain classes of railroad men who
today are only slightly represented in
the membership.
AS to the former there apparently
is something to be desired vet in the
way of relations among railroad traf-
fic officials themselves. 1t scarcely
seems credible that certain through
rates ordered published by the Inter
state Commerce Commission have
been in effect for considerably over a
year and that the traffic officials of
the roads involved have not yet been
able to agree among themselves on the
divisions to be applied. And yet this
is true. Apparently they are willing
to agree TO the proposition made, "in
principle" but, when it comes to APP
plying the principle, all kinds OF OBJ
jections are urged and meeting after
meeting adjourns without any agree
ment being reached.
Again there are certain lines of in
ter territorial business on which
through rates have been in effect for
years. and no mutually satisfactory
percentages or methods OF division of
earnings arrived at. with the result
counts are being held up pending
agreement, and in others the terminal
road that collects the freight charges
makes settlement on the basis 1t is
contending for and the initial road is
forced to accept, recouping itself as
far as possible by pursuing a similar
course on business moving in the OPP
posite direction. A more absurd situa-
tion could hardly be devised by the
Mad Halter or the Mock Turtle
AS to the other part, while some of
the railroads operating officials are
members Of traffic clubs, they are
comparatively few, which is a pity
Contact between them and the indus
trials is highly desirable. Also, the
relations between the railroad operat
ing and traffic officials are, perhaps.
not always as close and cordial as
they should be. Each might learn
much from the others and many mis-
understandings might be done away
with.
Then, again, there are freight claim
agents. Few OF them have traffic |
club affiliations and, consequently. |
they miss the opportunity TO get into
close touch with the public. 40 doubt |
every claim agent viii agree sin prin-
ciple" to the statement that no letters |
should be allowed TO go out of his Of
flee in which any statement is made |
which he would not be willing to ma
the claimant if he met him face to |
face And yet such letters. with yelled |
insinuatioas and ironic remarks are
written every day. Every Industrial
manager will acknowledge that his !
correspondence with freight claim |
agents should be as courteous as his /
with freight claim
agents would be- and yet how often is
this principle ignored? Personal in /
lSICbu1So, even t1IOuSli OIi1y III q SoClhi /
way, would remedy this OF course, /
no freight claim agent can come into /
contact with all claimants, I
but the traffic club offers the oppor-
tunity, locally at ali events, and if IL /
was used 1t would go far to demon I
strate to the claimant that the freight /
claim agent is human and wishes to I
do right and to the freight claim
agent that the claimant is only asking +
for what he believes to be his due. And /
when the claim agent, and the claim I
ant have learned this through personal I
contact in their own city, they VIII /
realize that the same condition pre- /
walls in other cities, and a much great /
er degree of harmony will result and /
claims will be more promptly settled /
or withdrawn-as the circumstances I