The Winslow mail., 1923-11-16
COOLIDGE WANTS
RATES ADJUSTED
RAILWAY OFFICIALS DISCUSSING
FREIGHT SUGGESTIONS OF
THE PRESIDENT.
|. C. C. ORDERS AN INQUIRY
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK

out loud on a prime subject of public
interest when he talked to President
Samuel Rea of the Pennsylvania rail"
road on freight rate cuts on coal and
grain. Mr.. Rea and his fellow railroad
officials now are discussing what the
President said, with view to action.
Washington has been considerably
puzzled because of the nature of the
remedial suggestions made by Presi-
dent Coolidge. He asked that the
freight rates on wheat intended for
export be cut, while the rates on nom
export wheat remain as they are, and
that the rates on coal for domestic
use be scaled so that they would not
be greater than the rates on coal in
tended for export.
If President Coolidge's suggestions
are adopted, they, on the face of them,
will give a greater advantage to wheat
/ shipped abroad than to wheat intended
for American consumers. In the case
Of coal the suggestion places the do
nestle use on the same rate basis.
There was no definite explanation of
the reason for the difference in treat
ment of coal consumers and wheat
growers.
Washington accepts the suggestion
Of President Coolidge to the railroad
chieftains as a definite hint of a means
to help the farmer, and the suggestion
as to coal as definite hint of a means
to close down on the complaints of
American consumers Of coal along the
border that the Canadians are being
better treated than the Americans in
the matter Of the prices on American
coal.
Rate Inquiry Is Ordered.
The interstate commerce commission
has just issued an order on it's own ini-
tiative for a general inquiry into the
| fairness of existing rates on grain and
grain products. The commission has
denied at least temporarily the petition
Of western grain growing states, which
has been pending for several months,
asking for a reduction in freight rates
on grain and grain products. The
complaint has not been dismissed, how
ever. The case has been reopened for
the taking of more evidence
The complaint case is known as the
Kansas grain rate case, because it was
brought before the commission by that
state. The commission held that the
evidence has not shown that the grain
and the hay rates are unjust, but it
has declared willingness to proceed
with evidence taking, thus giving the
| group Of middle-western states which
are interested further chance to
make good their claims.
The general investigation into the
fairness of existing rates on grain and
grain products, which the interstate
commerce commission has authorized,
will be carried along the following
lines the verbiage being that of the
commissions order for the inquiry:
ITO determine whether and to what
extent the rates. charges, regulations
and practices of carriers subject to the
Interstate Commerce act in respect 20
the transportation of grain and grain
products in interstate or foreign COM
merce are, or for the future will be,
unjust, unreasonable or otherwise un-
lawful, and in such case to prescribe
| just, reasonable and lawful rates,
charges, regulations and practices
thereafter to be observed"
Unfalrness Not Yet Proved.
In the Kansas case the commission.
in its opinion, said:
upon the present record we would
| hn 1nd %0 hot hn
basis of rates on grain, grain products
and hay within the western group has
not been shown to be unjust, unreason-
able, unduly prejudicial, or otherwise
in violation Of the Interstate Commerce
act"
Two commissioners, Mr.. McChord
and Mr.. Campbell, dissented from the
opinion. Commissioner McManamy did
not participate in the hearing On the
case or in Its disposition.
President Coolidge seems to be in
tent on finding some solution for the
problem of the farmers of the grain
growing states. His attempts do not
go altogether without criticism from
members of his own party. Senator
Ladd, Republican, of North Dakota,
who has just returned from Europe,
already has made something more than
mild attack on the plan of the Presl-
dent which resulted in the sending of
q commission into the states of the
Central Northwest for study and re-
port purposes. Senator Ladd has said
that it is impossible to effect any re-
lief through such an organization to
meet this emergency.
No student of economics in Wash
ington apparently believes that any
plan can be proposed for the relief of
| any economic condition which will not
meet-with criticism. AS one man has
put it "The only thing to do is to try
| everything which looks helpful on its
face, and keep on trying until the
solving factor of the problem is found"
n,,na.u MAIL