New Britain herald., 1924-05-14
RAILROADS WILL BE
 PROSPEROUS AGAIN
A, E. NeWC0nnbe Makes Predic- tion at Plumbers Convention
INSURANCE RATES ARE HIGH
Delegates Believe They Pay Too Much For Compensation Protection Mayor Paonessa Welcomes Visitors To Hardware City-23O Present.

The s4th annual convention of the
 Master Plumbers Association of Con
 necticut was held today at the Elks club. The convention was opened at 1o:So o'clock with about aSo dele gates present with A. A, Mills. presi- dent of the local association presiding. Mfr. Mills turned the meeting over to President Howard F. Bryant, presi- dent of the State Association. who in troduced Rev. T. Leo Sullivan who gave the invocation.
 Mayor Angelo NJ. Paonesss was in troduced and in a short speech wei comed the men to the city. He said that they could not have picked better place to hold their convention as New Britain is the Hardware City Of the world and for this reason ono of the most important cities in the building industry. In closing the Mayor said T welcome you in your stay and hope it will be most pleas ant one. and urge you to return to our city whenever possible" Scwcomhc Talks on Railroad, A. F. Newcombe. Of Maiden. Mass, of the Pubic Relation Committee of Eastern Railroads, was the next lspeakor on the program and took for his topic Transportation" Mir. New Iconhe said that although many peo- pie seem to think that railroad is associated with public charities this lis not the case and that the railroad lis an industry. The product which inc railroad has to soil is service and Fn selling its product if is m against bust as much competition and has the Famo number of problems as have lnen engaged in all the other kinds Of business.
 Il The speaker explained tho tran9nor- lation act recently passed and which Ia5 been eypermontcd with for tho |past year Is ono of the rreatnst hclps . the railroads of today. He said it Is tho idea Of many people that is act |Enaranteos the railroads q set income, ! II his is a mistaken idea tho speaker laid, as their is no guarantee hut here is legislation saying that they Ihall not be allowed to make moro han T certain set profit. The profit IShich tho" arc allowed 10 make is Eased m tho total valuation of their lrorerty and is generally set al q sum ot to eNeeed six per cent Of their Hntnl valuation.
 The speaker gave ihe main problem N iho railroads today as finance. tTe |aid that most Of tho railroads are Eraduallr reducing their debts. which HVT r4,I A.. I' tai6-i9ei. While the railroads have
 ose great debts yering ornr them F said, they ure fighting as.rist | ige handicap, but as soon as these hts are overcome "we may look for
 era such as railroads Of the roun-
 have never seen"
 Sn1aking Of the motor truck, Mr. 1 srrrenbe said. that the railroad mon
 2 'i-e that it Is hcro to stay and fhrv
 now making plans whereby the otor truck. steamship and the rail-
 ad will be combined into one unit rd ihe transportation facilities of the
 rntry greatly bcttercd. Il
 h closing the speaker urged the
 smbers of the convention to use
 re in selecting their public officials
 I take an active interest in the rail-
 ad situation and he assured them
 at the railroad industry of the coun-
 is once again climbing back to
 high pinnacle of sound financial
 sis.
 The secretary. Joseph F. Berger, lad the minutes Of ihe directors
 seting held in the Burriit hotel last
 ening in which the matter of inc | cessivc rates Of compensation in- rance was discussed The matter
 s brought before inc convention [
 1 tho consensus of opinion seemed 1
 be that inc plumbers were forced
 pay excessive rates for their com
 nsation insurance. T. was brought ,
 that although the plumbers must Y on basis Of their payroll inc
 ured man is paid by the insurance ( Inpany on a set basis and may re- {
 ve no more than SIS q week. II I
 voted to refer this fo ths [ ldslatire committee and take steps , have the matter remedied. The islatlve committee uil he in- r l uctsd 10 take immediate action in
 matter as fl was found that ths
 urance rates as they now stand
 | the members of the association
 1.nno year more than they ,nfd q