The Washington times., 1923-09-10
HARD COAL RATE
CUT WILL Be
SOUGHT
Railroads, Anthracite, and
Wheat Loom As Pressing
National Problems.
BY WILLIAM HARD

loWlHS natlOnA1 political develop
ments in action and in prospect:
Today starts rnN'ry chase after
the railroads in order to reduce tn.
rates on anthracite coal and in or
der to make the railroads pay their
little quota Of the cost Of the an
thracite coal strike settlement. II
Is found that in many instances, for
haulages OF equal lengths, the rates
on anthracite coal are so per cent
higher than the rates on bitumi-
nous coal.
1t is claimed that this difference
is too great. The Interstate Com.
merce Commission will begin IT,.
vestigating such claims next month
but in all probability will not hand
down a decision before spring.
Retail Dealers Cooperate.
Meanwhile, retail coal dealers in
various cities have sent offers to
Governor Pinchot expressing a de-
sire to cooperate with him in reduc-
ing the costs of retail coal distribu-
ton for the benefit of the public
and OF the trade. The prospect
grows stronger for a nationwide
movement, with dealer cooperation,
toward cheaper coal deliveries. This
is thought necessary in order to
prevent the establishment of thou
sands of municipal coal distribution
plants, similar to the municipal ice
distribution plant which Senator
Howell Of Nebraska has operated
with such success in Omaha.
Railroad employees will at once
secure q wage advance in the rail-
road industry. They point out that
the miners received an advance in
| 1920 and have taken no reductions
since and have now secured an.
other advance. Meanwhile the rail-
road employees have taken reduc-
tions, and they insist that in order
to equalize them with the miners 1t
is necessary now to grant them an
advance.
Farm Bloc Active.
simultaneously the leaders Of the
farm bloc" and the leaders Of the
progressive group are coming to
the peak Of their agitation for a
prompt decrease in agricultural
railroad freight rates.
In Interstate Commerce Commis.
sion circles it Is shown Statistically
THAT IL railroad wages are raised
and IL railroad freight rates are
reduced, the railroads between Chi
cago and New York might stand
1t, but the railroads between Chi
cago and Seattle would be ruined.
The Northwestern region, which
particularly needs lower freight
rates, has railroads which particu.
larry cannot afford 1t.
A great new specter is thereupon
seen. This is a proposed national
consolidation Of all railroads for
the purpose. Of eQualiZing profits
and losses.
It Is claimed that If all profits
and losses were pooled and IL the
prosperity Of the Middle Eastern
roads were used to offset the pow
erty of the Northwestern roads, a
reduction Of rates and an advance
Of wages would become possible.
Such a consolidation would mean
the concentrating Of all railroad
control in America into a few hands.
first private and then public.
To lay that spectre the authorities
| at Washington turn with new zeal to
their main great problem-which tS
to raise the price of wheat and to
restore Northwestern agricultural
prosperity before the Northwestern
farmer turns to William G. McAdoo
and naturalization of railroads and
the League of Nations.
Probable Development In Wheat.
In the matter Of wheat the follow
ing plan seems likely to develop:
The wheat shipments customarily
sent to Europe at this time OF the
year will be allowed to go forward
at present prices. We have to sell
virtually our whole crop sometime.
| The Europeans cannot afford to
pay more than the present prices.
They will be allowed to get their
current share of the crop at present
prices. Thus a lot of wheat will
leave this glutted market. Then
the remainder of the crop, under
public encouragement, will be firm
ly held for the higher prices which
Americans can pay.
The industrial elements in Amer
lea, 1t is realized, have been profit
ing unduly at the expense of the
agricultural elements. They now,
it is claimed, should at least pay
the cost Of production of the wheat
in their daily bread.
| To bring 1t about, the Admins
tration, it Is believed will look to
the governors Of the wheat-growing
States. just as it looked for the
settlement of the Pennsylvania an
| thracite coal strike to the governor
Of Pennsylvania.
It is thought here that the gov
ernors of the wheat growing States
| and the farm organizations of the
1 iwheat-groWing States have now
been provided by Congress with all
the legal authority and with alb She
credit facilities necessary for an
Interstate wheat pool"
| Through some such development,
under public auspices or perhaps
even under purely private auspices,
1t is hoped that the price of wheat
will be considerably improved be-
fore the long winter evenings of
deep thought on the farm have set
in.
Tariff Looms As Issue.
| Meanwhile the Democrats this
| week and every week are taking
no chances. They are pounding
the Republicans on the one issue
which cannot be improved" or
altered. The Fordney ey-McCumber
tariff law stands. The new Presi-
dent cannot change it. He NAV
wiggle out Of everything else, the
Democrats sometimes fear, but on
the tariff issue they are certain
they have him caught. This week,
therefore, and next week, and
every week till a year from No
vember, will see the tariff battle
getting bigger and bigger.