The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-12
INTEREST CENTERS
 ON NEW DECISION
 ON FREIGHT RATES
Reduced Tariffs Would Have Beneficial Effect Upon Business, Leaders
 Declare
By HARDEN COIFAX Special Correspondent of The AKe-Horagd Copyright. 1929. by The Age-Hernld)


 Copyright, 1899, by The AEe-HeraId)
 Washington, March 11.-Reports from banks, railroads, automobile plants, coal fields, factories, mills in fact from almost every line of activity-to national trade associa- tions and to government officials here state that business the past week has continued to pick up, with one or two notable exceptions, in en- couraging and healthy fashion, and that indications point to still further improvement in the near future.
 In Washington, trade association and other officials are centering their interest in the forthcoming decision on freight rates, This decision is ex- peeled soon. It's effect on business these representatives believe, will be extremely beneficial.
 We are looking for A general freight rate reduction on all basic commodities with the possible exoep- ton of grain, rates on which already have been reduced" the representa- tive of one of the largest trade or ganizations in the country told the writer today We believe that the interstate comm merce commission Wln hand down it's decision within. the next three weeks and that the decf- sion will reduce rates on coal, luIn- ber, building materials iron and steel and some other essential commodities by an average of ten per cent"
 View shared By Others
 This view is shared by other trade association representatives here and by the executives of not a few of the railroad companies themselves. A re- duction in rates on manufactured ar ticles however, is not regarded as, likely A decision in the present rate investigation. which has extended over several months, is expected with in a short time by all interests.
 The coal situation seems to be clearing. Coal operators and govern ment officials alike believe in view of the changed conditions tn Illinois that the soft coal strike will fail. The writer Is reliably informed that coal operatprs in West Virginia, Pennsyl- vania and elsewhere arc convinced there will be no miners strike in Illi- Rois.
 Unless the Illinois miners go out, the soft coal strike is broken before 1t starts. in the opinion of observers here, with non-union miners in West Virginia, Pennsylvania Alabama, Tennessee and elsewhere. and with union mines in Illinois hoisting coal, the na ation need give no great con cern to it's soft coal supply. Those regions can more than supply cur rent needs.
 Stocking Rituminous Conl
 Geological survey statistics indi- cate that industries are stocking bituminous coal at faster rate than ever before. By April 1. the date of the threatened strike, these figuresi show, consumers will have on hand, from 65.000,00o to fo000,000 tons. The country's stock pile today probably is almost as large as it was at the time of the armistice
 operators in the anthracite field. There has been no industrial upheaval of magnitude there for so many years that on general principles. as some anthracite operators see 1t, a big strike is overdue. The meeting in New York next Wednesday bet tween men and operators is regarded as the beginning of controversy that may last for months.
 Financially the stage Is set for an industrial revival. The current state ment of the federal reserve board discloses the following heartening situation: -
 Within a week, the 1z federal re- holdings by nearly $50, ,oo0,0co- Dur mig the same period they have reduced the amount of their loans by more than s7000 900. The total of those loans stands today, according to the