The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-23
CRUCIAL FIGHT
IN TRUCK-RAIL
WAR is BEGUN
Hearing Is Started on Move
to Operate Network of
Auto Lines.

oAtlpplA1S luJcICSIo III 1uuldud gu
under way in the house of repre-
sentatives today at a hearing be-
fore the public service commission.
Matter involved is a series of pc
titionS filed by the newly organized
Store Door Delivery, Inc, asking
certificates of public convenience
and necessity to operate a network
of truck lines from Indianapolis to
all corners of the state.
Legal big guns. representing steam
and electrical lines and railway
express companies, were on hand to
combat this latest offensive of the
truck men.
Commissioner Harry K Cuthbert-
son, who has been assigned most OF
the highly controversial petitions
since becoming a member of the
public service commission, is presid-
ing.
Young Is Sitting In
Ralph Young, chief of the com
missions bus and truck division, is
sitting with the commissioner.
For the first hour, lawyers from
noted firms in Indianapolis and
throughout the state were intro
duced as representing the protest
ants.
Railway union officials also were
on hand to combat the move to ex-
tend truck line competition. Cuth-
bertson himself is one-time mem
Der of railroad brotherhood.
Tom Snyder, veteran truck in
dustry organizer, was the first VIII
mess for the petitioners. He is Sec
rotary and treasurer of the company
and Charles S. Raugh is president.
He told how seventy-f1ve trucks
now are operating out of the Cen
trail Union truck terminal here, of
which he is president. OF thirty
two lines, only fourteen have GER
tificates from the public service
commission, he testified. The others
have been refused on the grounds
of lack of public necessity and con-
venience, he declared.
Objections Are Outlined
But they operate anyhow, as
contract haulers, Snyder explained
This, brought query from Cuth-
bertSon as to whether he was ham
dig merchandise at his warehouse
for those operating Illegally"
The answer was, eyes, upon or
ders of the shippers"
In the opening statement r. F.
Davidson outlined objections which
will be built up by the steam roads
He said they will attempt to show
that there is no real public neceS-
Sity and convenience for the Store
Door Delivery Company service.
There now are $50 truck lines
operating in the state in COMPETE
ton to the railroads. he asserted.
I'VE have objected to individual
lines, and now we are here to OPP
pose this wholesale trucking move
ment.
"Our evidence will go into the
matter of wages and protection of
the home and job for the working
man. 1t will cover the matter of
taxes in the various counties
through which the steam roads
operate. It will deal also with the
matter of public safety on the
highways and highway COSTS"
Statements Are Seconded
j. A. VanOsdol, Anderson, sec
onded these statements for the cleo
trio lines, which now are all insult
owned. He said they expected to
show that public necessity and con-
venience, under the utility law,
means what is best for the general
public, and not any certain group
or class.
John Powell, who filed a motion
asking that the warehouse terminal
and other Snyder companies be
made parties to the petitions, said
he appeared to protect certified
truck operators against company
acting as fictitious corporate
agency"
An attorney for the Railway Ex-
press Company said he will show
that they already give store door
service and have been doing bust
ness over Indiana steam roads for
ninety years.
The hearing, which continued this
afternoon, filled all the 100 seats
in the house, largely with legal tai
ent.
These petitions, of which more
than twenty have been filed anC
which cover the state, according tt
map introduced in evidence, are
considered the climax in the truck
rail warfare.