The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-02
POVERTY PLEA IF RAILROADS
 ID BE FOUGHT
Determined Attempt To Modi- fy War Transportation Act That Power Of States Over Rate Regulation Be A Fact BATTLE WILL BE STAGED DURING CONGRESS MEET Agricultural Interests, Says Alabama Traffic Expert, To
 Stand Back Of Action For
 Benefit Of South And West

Railroads of the south are enjoy ing the greatest era of prosperity in their history, and are today earning well above the net income fixed by the federal government, through the interstate commerce commission ac- cordins to M. NJ. Caskie, general traffic manager of the Alabama farm bureau federation, Saturday. It is 8 sad commentary that cer- tain high railroad officials of the south continue to plead poverty, and that their representatives persist in demanding increases in already high existent freight rates before the in- terstate commerce commission and southern state commissions" Mr. Casllie stated
 He predicted that the next Con- eress will witness determined att tempt to modify the transportation act so as to restore to state utilities commissions the authority which they formerly exercised over rates within the borders of their own states, and to eliminate the arbitaary assurance of profits to tho carriers regardless of the status of agrIcIl- ture and other industries. The de- mand for this modif cation of the transportation act is expected to re- ceive the support of southern de le- gations, and is parti cularly strong also in the agricultural west, AIr. Caskie stated.
 In addition to his position at the head of the traffic department of the Alabama farm bureau feu1ra- Iion, and of the ansportatiVn de- partment of the Mont gome.x Caam- Der of Commerce, MT. Gaskls Is also executive secretary of the southern Traffic league, and chairman Vl the regional advisory beard Io' the southeast of the American H.ailN ay association. He is widely isUown as an expert on transportation matters. and has had an iinpgrtana part m big rate cases SffeeunsS Aeahcra shippers.
 Oppose Govcrnn,s 0Vp rsfil
 MT. Caslsie was aesl.s 99G@y Toe aa expression on tEe s7H -iraaor. .arsf subject of transportation, and as to what notifications of existing regu- lations the shipping public may X peet to demand from the next Con- gross. MT. Caskie stated that he ana his local organization, the Montgon- cry Chamber of Commerce. are on record as opposed to government ownership and operation; a reduction in the valuation of the railroads property as fixed by the interstate commerce commission, in order to re- duce freight rates generally or any legislation that would further, re- strict the railroads in their opera tion. "In order to intelligently un- derstand the present railroad situa- ton, it IS necessary to go back to the war period and follow the de- velopments up to date," MT. Caskie stated.
 Tn 1916 and 1917, prior to our entry into the World war, the rail- roads, particularly in the southern territory, as a whole, enjoyed the greatest prosperity, as reflected in net railway operating income, ever before known in their history. When the government took over the rail- roads, it did so with the understand ing that the owners of railroads, as individual corporations. should re-
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