New Britain herald., 1927-03-29
CONFUSION NEEDED IN CONSOLIDiTIONS

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 While railroad managers talk persuasively about the beauties Of consultations as they would wish to have them. shippers being served by two or more routes are not as yet convinced of said beauties. In southern New England, where all shippers are forced to use the New Haven, this feeling is perhaps not so prominent: but in some other parts of New England, notably where the E. & A.. the New Haven. and the B. X NJ. compete. there is no doubt that the general desire is 10 let them remain competitors.
 Other sections of the country. where consultations would affect larger areas and be Of significance to more shippers, tend to anticipate q reduction Tn the promptncss and
 
 dations.
 Shippers on one railroad. as in New Britain, who send goods to cities on connecting railroads, are inclined to think they would get lower rates and more expeditions J,li,..ripc I # tho brought under more concentrated managements.
 Many holders Of railroad securi- ties also fear that the earning capacity Of their investments may be impaired by consultations: others think the reverse. Towns depending for their pros 1 pcrity upon the presence of repair or construction plants fear that uni l iiCation of railroads will diSlocatc the fundamental industries upon which their prosperity is based. 1 Labor organizations fear unemploy- ment of members through q reduc- ton in work forces which might be made possible through widespread | consultations.
 These are some of the pros and cons of railroad consultations, which are quite likely to be heard of with increasing vigor. One side says they will be a good thing" : the other side holds up its collective 1 hand in horror. The general public. if it takes more than a lukewarm i interest in the proceedings, is well disposed to let the Interstate Con- mercc Commission and Congress- handle the stuation," for good or | for Ill. That consultations will 1 come, however. there can scarcely he doubt. The tendency is strong 1 in that direction.
 The most serious difficulty con- 1 fronting the l. C. C. is that the ! prosperous roads do not want to 1 consolidate with the weaker lines, or unprospcrous roads. As long as there is no involuntary consolida- | ton law at hand, this difficulty is | bound 10 exist. IT the roads fail to merge according to the dictates of the l. C. C.. however. it is believed likely that Congress eventually will pass an involuntary consolidation i law
 The reason consultations have 1 not been more general since the transportation act of 1920 went into 1 effect is because the roads have been left to survey the field and choose their own particular brands of consolidation, many Of which I admittedly would not serve the pub lie interest, If consolidation plans are to strengthen transportation fa- cilities then species of compunc- ton may he necessary hy the gov ernmcn'. lt will be necessary to force the financially prosperous lines to accept the weak lines. If this is not done then eventually the country will see the strong lines consolidate and the weak sisters 1 left in thc cold. to plol and totter along. fail to give service. and pos sihly become extinct to tila serious loss Of the many communities they serve.