Evening star., 1924-04-26
BY ROGER w. BABsoN.

BABSON PARK, Mass, April 2s.-
Demand for lower freight rates is
growing in every section Of the coun-
Try.
In travelling across the country
either from west to east or south to
north one hears continual complaints
as to the present high" freight rates
especially on agricultural products.
When one asks in Florida why
oranges are being left to rot in the
groves, the answer is because of
high freight rates" When one asks
in New York why 60 cents dozen
is charged for the same fruit, the re-
ply is because of high freight rates"
At every railroad station, in dining
cars and Pullman smoking apart
ments the universal cry is that high
freight rates are killing the goose
that lays the golden eggs. Pro-
ducers, consumers and middlemen all
unite in the same complaint =,
Now, what is to be done about It?
From the statistics of the railroads
rates are not too high.
Roads Need Money.
The roads need much more money
for extensions and improvements.
They cannot continue to issue bonds
INDEFINITELY. They should sell more
stock. Yet YOU and VIII not puE
railroad stock unless the ROADS are
assured good earnings. 1t Woulu De
fatal to future financing to have the
net earnings of the railroads cut ma
terially at the present time IL rates
are to be lowered some plan must be
evolved to reduce expenses so that
the net earnings Will not be greatly
reduced.
A satisfactory market in railroad
securities demands that Congress lei
the railroads alone-at least not re-
,Iuce their net earnings or hinder their
earning capacity.
Can the shippers get lower rates
without cutting down the net earnings
of the roads9 If this can be done
both sides will be satisfied.
Surplus of Employees.
Every time 1 travel on the trains ]
am surprised at the surplus of unnec-
esSary railroad employees Ennclency
engineers tell me that the roads could
be run just as we'll with 20 per cent
less help, and few railroad official S
will deny this statement. The difficulty
is that the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, Congress. state legislature
and labor union have unconsclouSly
combined to compel the railroads to
employ this surplus. Not only are the
roads employing many more than they
need but this very fact hurts the
morale of the entire body of men and
reduces efficiency all around. When
men know that their jobs are protected
hy legislation and-even though they
have no real work to do-that they
cannot be discharged, then efficiency Is
at an end On the other hand, when
men know that they can be discharged
and the work done by some one else.
then efficiency increases. The far bet
ter results which the railroads are
now getting from their shop men are
an iilustra tion of this point.
Wages Not Too High.
am not for reducing the wages
of railroad men. Their wages, with
n few exceptions, are not unduly
high / believe in good wages. But
statistics clearly show that it is good
neither for a man nor the company
10 continue with jobs that are not
necessary. 1t seems to me that
the Interstate Commerce Commission
could serve the employees of the rail
roads as well as the shippers and
the public by revising its rulings so
that the roads could operate more ef-
Tciently at lower expense.
When the movement which has in
stalled the 'one-man car on the troll