The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-05
PROPOSE D POOL. INC
OF FREIGHT CARS
BELIEVED UNSOUND.
.WarfieId CriticiseS Personnel
Of Board Making Condemna-
tion-SayS Pooling Would
Eliminate Car Shortage

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.--Plans for
creation of a national pool of freight
cars. under direction of central
agency representing all railroads,
which have been presented to Con-
gress and the interstate commerce
commission by the National Associa-
ton of owners of Railroad Secur-
tiles, We're unqualifiedly condemned
today in a report of the American
Railway association.
It's investigation of the proposals,
the association declared, determines
the scheme to be economically I'M
sound, impracticable of application,
not in the best interests of the ship
ping public. and contrary to the fun
damental principles of private and
competitive operation of American
railroads"
The associations report was made
by committee headed by j. +. Rob
erts, transportation superintendent
of the Delaware and Hudson.
Proponents of the plan are appar-
emily unfamiliar with the fact" the
report continued, that the adVan-
tages claimed for it have already
been largely obtained or are being
obtained without the cumbersome in
PREVENTION of an expensive agency
having no financial responsibility for
results"
WarfieId's Criticism
The railway associations investi-
cation of the car pooling proposal
was criticised in a statement issued
tonight by S. Davies Warfield. pres
ident of the National Association of
owners of Railroad Securities, who
said he was writing Daniel Willard,
president of the Baltimore and
Ohio. suggesting the absence on the
special commission of eleven making
the report of we'll recognized, expe-
! rienced car service men from among
the railroads, the committee contain
two of such men,
Il am suggesting to Mr.. Willard"
he asserted, that he present to the
directors of the American Railway
association that he should be glad
to name number of gentlemen now
connected with important railroads
of the country who are experienced
in car service and who actually han
died cars, some of whom, it is true
have decided views in favor of car
pooling. j assume all the light is
desired that can be secured on so far
reaching a subject and have stated
that / would personally meet this
committee, of, say, from seven to
twelve, in order that. no further mis-
uHuerStdnulnS could result and that
the subject could be dealt with by
men of recognized experience and
ability in these matters and not such
as composed the majority of the spe-
cial committee making this report"
Based on MisconceptiOn
+ The special committee said Mr.. |
: Warfield, apparently takes the posi-
ton that there is nothing that can
be added to the machinery of the car
service division of the American
Railway association" notwithstand-
sing the fragrant car shortage with
which the country has been faced
during the past year and that pc
.riodically occurs from year to year
with the incidental losses to the
country at present the greatest on
record.
Mr.. Warfield added that. in a let
ter to the president of the railway |
association January 10, he had |
called attention to the fact that a |
report of a special committee nearly |
identical with the present report. |
though not so extensive, was based |
on such misconception of our pro- F.
posals as to constitute a misstate-
ment of them"
Would Limit Initiative
As worked out by the security
holders association. the pooling plan