The Washington herald., 1922-02-05

to clear the streets OF deep snow.
ke;s as, a direct result Of the
disturbed economic conditions
throughout the world. The lowest
level for automotive exports in 1921
was reached in July, as far as COM
mcrc,al trucks were concerned. and
in September for passenger cars.
compared with July, the truck
shipments were higher by 7s per
cent in October. The percentage of
increase In the case Of passenger
cars was 6 per cent over the Sep
tember exports. A still greater inn
provement was noticed by the
trade during November. Thus it is
becoming evident that the curve of
export trade has turned the corner
and is now gradually directed up
ward.
In Iceland there are no railways.
Formerly the only means Of COM
naunication was on Iceland ponies.
Realizing the need of improved
transportation facilities. the local
roads and today the motor vehicle
is offering to the Inhabitants Of this
northern isle an invaluable means
for the conveyance Of passengers
and goods.
The real cause for optimism in
foreign trade may be seen in the
tendency to restore worldwide con-
fdence. With 1t will be restored
the exchanges to such levels that
the deprecated currencies will buy.
IL changed into dollars. practically
the same quantity Of goods in the
United States as they do on the
country OF issue.
visualisinE Motor Transport.
Leading financial authorities pre-
dict q prompt recovery in the truck
market with the return of better
general business in the spring.
The essential factors in the truck
situation, however, are much wider
than this. Elisha Lee. vice pres
ident of the Pennsylvania Railroad
has indicated the trend of motor
truck transportation as follows:
nc NCHlClCS anu IhC dlE
plane are more likely to develop
new transportation fields Of their
own, rather than extensively to in
wade those of the railroads. The
telephone did not wipe out the tele-
graph; typewriters have not elm
mated the use of pens and pencils.
To the extent to which motor We
hicles are likely to take over the
short-haul freight trafic, the rail-
roads will probably be Immediately
benefited financially, because short
haul business is becoming increas-
ingly unremunerative on account OF
the high proportion of terminal
costs which 1t must sustain"
We shall find in our larger repre-
sentative cities motor freight ter
minals exercising important influ-
ences on transportation and pro-
duction. Consultations OF existing &
motor freight lines will be brought
about in the interest of the larger
terminal responsibilities to the
shippers. This is already in pro-
Eress in New York. Rochester, Buff
falo and other cities. Safe passage
of goods between cities will be
guaranteed by the use of armed
convoy arrangements.
Railroads VIII Buy Motor Trucks.
In many instances we shall un-
doubtedly find as time goes on that
the railroads themselves will
initiate the ALLEGATION of truck and
freight car service. The precedent
has already been established by the
Cascade Railway of Washington,
which was recently confronted with
the problem of extending its serv-
ices into undeveloped territory.
II you had the privilege Of TAX
ing periodic airplane rides over the
country you would find that the
smoke Of the short line railroads
would be growing less and less
Of motor buses equipped with
Hanged wheels. Closer observation
would reveal that the passenger
carrying traffic IL being allocated
to street cars and buses, as the
latter have been found to make
possible the extension of service
into new residential and manufsc-
turing centers.
The imminency Of the reaIign-
ment Of transportation facilities is
quite apparent. Approximately rs
per cent of the hauling in the
Texas and Oklahoma oil fields is
being carried on by means of spe-
cially designed track and trailer
combinations. There Is every rea-
son to believe that in the trans
portation of coal from the mouth
of the mine there will be from
now on a similar marked tendency
to utilize power trucks. Just how
extensive this movement will be
may perhaps be CLEANED from the
fact that the products from ap-
proxiInately $500 mines are being
conveyed by motor trucks or
wagons at the present time.
With the increase in the number
of good roads within the next few
years there will come about a more
extensive utilization of motor
trucks by the farmer as the gov
ernment estimates that he loses
$500, 100000 yearly in marketing
his crops on account of bad roads.
Anyone who has been shaken up
on bad roads or has seen a good
road fallen into disrepair may look
upon 1922 with enthusiasm. The
Townsend act, enacted by Congress
last fall, continues the usual $780,
100000 fund for new roads. The
Townsend measure. however. car
ries more OF Importance than finan-
cial aid. 1t specifies that the tax
payers money be protected by a
maintenance fund 50 that a road