Evening journal., 1922-10-02
MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1922
TRANSPORTATION srrUATToN-EFFEor AND



lsrEyHE farmers business men and other people are
Il beginning to have a transportation expert
ence,' says the Railway Age. which should be as in
sructive them feared 1t will be expen-
sve- The railways in the week ended September 1s.
the last week for which have the figures. moved
s4591s carloads freight. largest business ever
handled in year in 1920. The number of car
loads of freight moved for the mentioned was
only "a cent. less than the corresponding
of 1920 and only less than the
Der ever moved in any week"
In spite of this the railroads reported for the week
ended September IS, for the first time since 1920
shortage of On April 8, 1921, they had a surplus
of 5o7,427 and six months a surplus OF
$4,000 It has taken only this short the
in business activity wipe the surplus
The so-called "car symptom. not
ease The disease nadequacy of railway facilities
kinds and we yet felt its effects.
There widespread complaints in the because
railroads the grain fast the far
desire to ship it. Governor Kendall OF Iowa. is
a statement September in which he said;
.rhe shortage IN the State serious embarrass
all industry and enterprise and it is most
difficult to remedy" stated that the elevators
overhowing everywhere. and heavy losses win be
tanned unless provision made for the immediate
marketing the grain This condition exists in spite
of the fact thus in 1922 the railways have
moved more grain than ever before The number OF
cars OF grain moved this year TO September was
1ese2so. The previous high record that OF 1921
when up to the shipments of grain had been
1b715ss cars. The amount of coal transported weekly
has increased 1875 per cent since the coal strike
was settled the United States Geological Survey in
its last report says: Transportation is the dominant
and limiting in soft coal supply One of the
lumber manufacturers associations in circular letter
calls attention that the production Of lumber
has for some time exceeding the that could
he sh,pped and that finally OF transportation was
forcing a curtailment OF production. The National
Sand and Gravel Producers Association has been before
the Interstate Commission to secure modih-
cation of its priority orders In favor of coal because It's
orders are interfering with road building and other con-
struction work.
Governor Kendall In his statement said the shop en-
ployes left the railways without adequate equip
nent The shop employees strike is by the
principal cause the present transportation situation
The principal that the general development of
the railroads has very greatly declined within recent
years while all the other industries of the country have
continued expand at normal or more than normal
rate Consider the following figures. The number OF
locomotives in increased 17725 in the seven
wears ending with 1907 only 1o57s in the seven
wears and only 1912 In the years ending with
1921 The number of freight in service increased
e2s 900 in the seven years ending with 1907 only s4s
400 in the seven years ending with 1914 and only $1,000
in the seven years ending with 1921. The in
with 1eo7 was more than nine times in the
last seven years the increase in the number OF
freiebt cars was fifteen times There was
corresponding reduction of increase in all railway
facilities.
When the restrictive policy OF regulation
began to be applied about fifteen years ago those who
opposed it predicted this very reduction OF railway
expansion would be the result The prediction. have
come
What is be done. II anything to remedy this su-
The natural stop effect is to remove
Since restrictive regulation has arrested the
development Of the railroads. would seem that the
logical thing do would to make regulation less
restrictive.
part of the country, however there is be-
ing carried powerful agitation for legislation which
repeal all the constructive provisions of the
Transportation Act and make the governments policy
of regulation than It before government con-
tro adopted.
present transportation situation and the stiu
worse situation which be coming are due 10
policy adoption OF which been caused bv the
very people who complaining most about the
lack transportation Perhaps experience win teach
the public It has much lose and nothing to gain
by supporting policy the direct and necessary effect
OF render the railways unable TO handle the
country's commerce.
Commenting the recent interview attributed to