Evening star., 1927-04-05
HOOVER PRAISES
RAILROAD SERVICE
Millions Saved Nation, Sec
retary Tells Shippers of At
IantiC States at Meeting.

Millions Of dollars have been saved
shippers and the general purchasing
public by dependable and fast rail
road transportation and relief from
car shortage, Secretary of Commerce
Hoover declared at a luncheon today
at the New Willard Hotel, arranged
as part Of the program Of a meeting
by the Atlantic States Shippers
Regional Advisory Board. The
board held its first meeting in Wash
fngton today since its organization
several years ago.
Smaller inventories and reduction
in the quantity of commodities on
wholesalers and retailers shelves, re
sulting in tremendous savings 10
merchandsers, industries and the
public have been effected by relief
from car shortage and dependable
rail transportation, Mr.. Hoover said.
He characterized the accomplish
ments brought about by the voluntary
cooperation Of shippers and railroads
since the organization Of the severai
regional advisory boards throughout
the United States as one of the out
standing factors in the prosperity OF
the Nation. lie said the railroads have
proven that private operation is vastly
more efficient than Government opera
ton of the rail carriers, declaring that
so serious were car shortages during
the period of Federal control that
much of the rates paid on freight were
eaten up in demurrage charges.
Car shortage imposes an enormous
penalty upon the public he said.
Industry Solves Disputes.
"We must depend upon the Gov
ernment to solve disputes between in
dustry or we must trust that the
disputes will be settled by the indus
tries themselves. You gentlemen have
proven that the latter course is the
best. True self government is the
minimum of government, he de-
clared.
w. j. L. Benham of New York, gen
eral traffic manager of the Otis Ele-
vator Co. and general chairman of the
Atlantic States board, presided at the
luncheon, which was attended by
Secretary of the Navy Wilbur, Com
missioners Taliaferro and Dougherty,
the presidents of the Washington
trade bodies and by many shippers
in Washington and surrounding ter.
ritory.
A prediction that business in the
Eastern States would show marked
stimulation during the next three
months was made in reports from a
majority of the principal industries
submitted at the meeting this morn.
ing. More than 900 shippers and
railroad officials from New York, the
District OF Columbia, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and
Virginia attended the meeting.
Based on Estimates.
The business forecast for the sec
ond quarter Of 1927, according to the
reports. is based on estimates as to
the actual haulage requirements of
industries in the Eastern States in
that period. Increases of from 215 to
rs per cent in transportation require
ments for 20 of the 40 industries rep
resented at the meeting were re-
ported. Virtually all the major indus
tries in the East were represented
among those whose hauling require
ments by rail win be greater during
the second quarter of the year than
during the quarter just closed
The meetings were attended by
many government officials, including
three cabinet officers and representa-
tives Of many of the embassies and
legations in Washington.