The Washington times., 1924-08-12
FACTS ARE
OUTLINED
BY HARD
Writer Undertakes Analysis
of Political Situation of
Industry
By WILLIAM HARD.


The railroad question this veal
has been thrown up once more into
the glare Of the political footlights
by action not only Of the La Fol
lette groups, but also Of the Repub.
lican and Democratic parties. them.
selves.
These articles will be devoted 70
analyzing the attacks made upon
the railroads, to analyzing the per-
formances achieved by the rail.
roads in providing transportation
to the travelling and shipping pub.
lie.
It is regarded by railroad man
ayers as most remarkable-and
also most distressing-that the Re.
publican and Democratic parties,
having co-operated in 1920 in the
passage of the present Esch- Cum
minis transportation law, should
this year in their respective plat
forms give that law so much criti-
cism.
The railroads feel themselves de-
serted by their friends as we'll as
attacked by their enemies.
Attacked on All Sides.
The Republican platform, it is
noted, says that "the present laws
regulating railroads. which were en-.
acted to meet postwar conditions.
should be modified from time to
time as experience shows the neces-
sity therefor"
The Republicans accordingly, in.
stead Of standing pat on the present
legal situation for the railroads,
are committed to contemplating
some possible change In it.
The Democrats, meanwhile, in
their platform, have denounced the
results of the Esch-C ummins trans
portation law from. stem to stern,
and have outrightly demanded that
1t be rewritten"
The Republicans say nothing good
OF the law. The Democrats say
everything bad about 1t.
AS for the La Follettites, they
also say everything bad about it,
and they additionally demand in any
case that there shall be public in.
stead of private ownership of the
railroads.
Time for Review.
~
regarded as a proper moment for
general review of the railroad situa.
ton from the standpoint of politics
and also from the standpoint of the
effectiveness or ineffectiveness of
nished by the American railroad
system.
1t is to be noted, to begin with,
that If there are complaints against
the railroads., there are also COM
plants by them. They feel them
selves often harshly treated, and
they feel themselves also often mis-
understood and 'maligned. =
They point out that they have not
been allowed to increase the selling
price Of their mmodity-namely,
transportation service-as fast or as
far as the selling prices of numer-
GUS other commodities have been
increased.
Since 1914 the cost Of housing has
gone up almost 20 per cent. The
cost of clothing has gone up almost
30 per cent. The cost of fuel and
light has gone up more than 80 per
cent. The cost of household goods
has gone up more than 100 per cent.
Railroad freight revenue per ton
mile, however. has gone up only
approximately so per cent.
Surprised and Grieved.
The railroad managers think
they are moderate and considerate
IN the charges which they are i'm
posing upon the. public. They are
moderation and considerateness Is
not more appreciated.
They are particularly grieved by
the behavior of their employees,
who through their unions have
been the main financial and organ.
tzing support Of numerous recent
radical uprisings in the West and
Northwest, and who now through
their support of La Toilette have
created an anti-railroad outbreak
which In turn has scared off the
Republican and Democratic parties
from giving to the Esch- Cummins
transportation law the loyal de.
Tense which the railroad managers
think 1t deserves.
The politics of the matter is that
the source of the political troubles
or the railroad managers is in their
own household among the people
on their own pay rolls.
This seems especially disheart.
ening and upsetting to the railroad
managers in view Of the following
facts:
Big Gains For Labor.
Out Of every additional dollar
which they have gained in revenue
since 1916 through increased rates
permitted by the Interstate Com.
merce Commission, they now are
naying out, as they claim, some
bS cents in increased wages.
Their stockholders are getting
only 4 or cents out of each
present gross dollar of revenue.
Their employees are now getting A
cents out of that dollar. The
average hourly wage of railroad