Evening star., 1922-02-09
BUSINESS LEADERS
STUDY RAIL ISSUES
Chamber of Commerce Ma
tionaI Council Hears Pleas
on Relief Measures.

SlViiot OVOssV" ssS
on Relief Measures.
Railroad problems as they con-
Germ the rail managements. the
shipper and the consumer ensased
the attention of the meeting OF tae
national council of the Chamber OF
Commerce .; the United sta'ss At
the Washington Hotel today
Sneakers on the railroad TOPIC In
cluded practical railroad operators;
shippers of raw and manufacturer
materials and represenaatirus or.,ni. u.
wholesale and consumers so'
The keynote of the entire, dis
cussion was that the railroads. as
explained by Secretary Hoover IN
an address at meeting last nlsnt,
should be given an opportunity 70
work out their own problems under
the provisions of the transportatloIi
act of 1920. but that rates on vital
Commodities should also be re-
duced in some measure at least.
Grouping Plan Urged.
co.ord,nation of existing trauspor-
tation lines into a continental group
ing of carriers, which wound pe so AS
sociatcd that roads which naturaHy
e-,,t.-ct from ocean to ocean WI. on
so grouped together as 10 prevent a
undue strain being borne by any par.
~ the through line, was urged by r.
4, powell. vice president OF the Erie.
Mr.. Powell spoke in favor OF ap
pointment OF commissioner sen
Of transportation. as proposed IN 'n nS
eeport Of the ,railw;aaS wa ,ns eoiabi automobiIe
nroperly considered il a vaiuaoie au
iunct of the railroad, but tnat !iu
nroperly considered it Is coMpeeu' ~.
Tor Of the railroad IN lcng-hau trane'
Walter S. hickey OF lsansas,nt Kansas IS; ~
The simmer, urged co-ordinaticn ct
she TRANSPORTATION elements OF tn@
country as quickly and cheapiy |
possible. 1t is to the advantage o. 'ne
producer Of all products, ne sbu; -
basic products could oe got to 'i"'
at a slightly decreased cost.
Fear. injection of Politics.
Speaking against the proposed com
missioner general of transportat,oh'
r. s. French, representing the Ma
tionaI League of Commission Mer-
chants. said the plan would nrins
politics into the railroads. would IN
troduce patronage. ana, necause y. ',,e
uncertainty of the length a o, afH. a.
the incumbent, would reduce ein-
". r. Coyle, president of the Ameri-
can Wholesale Coal Association; Al.
fred c. Davis of jamestown, n. l.. anu
r. H. ANGEL of Roanoke. va, were
other speakers at the morning ses
sion. .:, .or,c;,
Delegates to the national councii
went to the White House at O'CLOCK
This afternoon and shook hands Win
the President.
Proposed adoption of the metric sys-
fem in the United States was the
fopic OF discussion this afternoon. A
report submitted by E. d. Fisher'
chairman of the chamber committee
on the metric system of Welghts aho
measures, urged q. .referenouIn on 'he
question of whether legislation De
favored that would provide for aoan-
donment Of our present system OF
weights and measures and ADOPTION
OF the metric system.
Sees New Secretary.
Great development in transportation
and perhaps establishment OF ne"
executive department OF the ,rs govern sosenr-
tation in the Presidents cabinet Is
expected in the next two or three
years, Secretary Hoover said last
night in an address before the coun-
eli. The economic and Transports
fion situations were considered by the
chamber at its meetings Which are 10
Senator Cummins of Iowa, chairman
Of the Senate interstate commerce
Committed, outlined the railroad stu
stinn and nending legislation, and de-
clared himself 'unalterably opposed
to government operation ana owner
ship of railroads. He favored. ne
said, consolidation OF the roaos ih'o d
few great systems.
Gone Past Danger Point.
Declaring that I'VE have gone past
the danger point" Secretary Hoover
said he ''marveled that bankr9ptcy
and panic had not overwhelmed the
railroads and banks OF the natlop IN
the last eighteen months, while values n6n
were declining probably $50. 0.ooo;ooV,-
900, and commodity prices were drop
ping nearly So per cent, a decrease
which he described as the gTeatest
dicted that increased production OF
CoI~e and expansion OF tramc
with economy would bring the rail-
roads righteous earning witnln
reasonable time.
Neither monopoly nor government
operation of railroads has proVed
. successful, the Secretary continued
asserting that "the basis upon when
our whole economic structure . m4se 4Ye
urged that the transportation act OF
1920 be given a real and fair chance.
Earnings Drop Down.
.The railroads" Senator Cummins
said, were not earning within $500.
OOO, 900 Of what they ought to earn.
but the people of the country are
without the purchasing power to pay
rates now established" He. said he
could see nothing for the carriers to
do but to await the gradual but in
eyitsble readjustment which now is.
in progress"
Vigorous opposition to the proposal
Of the railroad committee that fed
eral agency to represent the public
interest headed by commissioner
General of transportation, be appoint
ed. developed at the meeting. Oppo-
sition to the proposal was led by
Alba B. Johnson. president Of the
Railway Business Association. former
Secretary Of Commerce Redfeld and
Howard Elliott of the Northern Pa
cific railway.