Evening star., 1923-04-14
SHIPPERS ASKED
TO AID RAILROADS
Secretary Hoover Urges Co.
Operation to Move Heavy
1923 Freight.

Commercial organizations We're ask
operate with railroad arrangements
in a national effort to get the large
volume of railroad traffic expected
during 1928 handled expeditiously and
without congestion.
Pointing out that railroads have
made heavy investments in increasing e
facilities and equipment, Mr.. Hoover
declared. in a letter to various trade
bodies that it was vital that shippers
assist by taking in winter coal sup
plies during the summer. by loading
cars to capacity and by reducing car
reconsignmept and refraining from
demanding excess car supply in op-
erations.
Due to the war and the long con-
tinued impossibiIfties on the part of
the railways 10 finance the neces-
sary betterments," said Mr. Hoover $
letter, both our production capacity
and consuming demands have now
advanced beyond our transportation
facllitfes The railway managers
under the recent improved condi-
finance and expansion of facilities to
meet our necessities, but full recov-
cry or lost ground must be slow and
II we are TO maintain our present
rate of productivity and employment
1t is vital that there be co-operation
! with the railway manageme from
poth producing and consuming in
dustries to secure the most efficient
operation of the railroads.
To Help Prosperity.
The railways have asked for this
cooperation and the trades can make
a tremendous contribution to the
orderly march of our prosperity il
they will undertake it seriously and
in an organized fashion. The prin-
cipal directions in which such CO.
| operation can be extended by the
trades are:
L The advance storage of thei,
! winter coal during the light consum-
ing season-that is, from now until
september l., including the early
movement of lake traffic.
The loading of all cars to full
discharge.
%. Reduction of reconsignmen,
shipments and restriction of to-order
| bills of lading.
- - Demands for no more cars
| from the railways than can be
| promptly used
IF we could secure the maximum
emc1ency in these directions we will
nave have, added more effective com
inoolty movements than would be
brought about by the addition of an
| proximately 100000 cars and 1000
locomotives and the addition of AT
ieast 10 per cent to our track mileage
! and terminal facilities.
Congestion Hurts All.
! THE Importance of this lies in
more than simply the maintenance OF
| continuity of production and full SUD.
| ply of consumption. because any
strangulation in movement Of COM
modities through car shortages af.
| fects the profits Of every individual
manufacturer by interruption in his
production, and. furthermore, such
strangulation affects price levels in
the most definite fashion. The full
ouctlvlty of the country would be the
greatest contribution that could be
made at the present time in checking
lnnation or increase in price levels
Won Inefefore, e,i IRE, l earnestly hope that
gan1ze your association to bring
| ABOUT this cooperation through youi
| district or trade, and to establish
| CO. operative contact with the railway
executives concerned. If we could Sc
| cure unity of action on these ques-
| tions between the shippers and the
! railways we would have made a
I greater contribution to continued
prosperity and full employment than
any direction I know Of 1 would be
| glad to know your views as to or
ganization that can be effective tc
this end in order that the department
may act as a clearing house of help
| full dissemination of ideas in the mat
| ter"