Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-12

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Cyanamid Co. testified the railroads
would lose S40o 900 annually bv diver
sion of fertilizer traffic from that com
panyss plant at Niagara Falls. in addi-
ton to similar losses from the products
OF other plants.
able to sell fertilizer cheaper to the
farmer in Japan than TO the farmer
IN Ohio because of the difference in
transljOT tatiCa costs.
Other Hearings PLANNED.
The Interstate Commerce Commission
Is expediting hearings and argument
on the railroads application by holding
hearings in various sections Of the
country.
Final hearings are to open in Chi
cago August 81 and are expected to
consume about three weeks. About 10
Gays OF argument are to be heard ny
the full commission here before the
study looking to decision Is under
taken.
Meanwhile the carriers plan to an
swer within q few days the demand Of
western Railroad Commission repre-
sentatives that the commission dismiss
the increase application on the &C.,.
that the Federal agency is without au-
thority to act under the railroads
pleading. The carriers asked for the
rate raise under the fair return section
OF the interstate commerce act.
The Railroad Commissions of North
Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa. Kansas,
Minnesota and Nebraska asserted a
financial emergency was not sufhcient
ground for action by the commission.
They asked that instead the commission
raise such tariffs as were necessary,
through altering rates prescribed In the
general investigation made under the
Hoch-Smith resolution, which provided
that the commission should investigate
all rates of the country and revise them
where necessary, with special reference
to assisting agriculture.
Disaster Predicted.
Representatives of Virginia farmers
and industry and the Export Coal AS
ISOLATION yesterday, In hearings before
Commissioner Meyer here, predicted
disaster to the farmer and export coal
trade II the increase Is granted.
Representatives of Virginia business
houses testified they had been operat-
ing at a loss and that any freight rate
raise would mean added losses or taking
more of their traffic to trucks.
Another hearing opened at Portland,
Greg, today, with Commissioners Lewis
ana Lee hearing Northwestern OPPOSE
ton
L. D. Snow, Cambridge, Mass, general
trafnc manager for Lever Bros Co, with
soap factories at Hammond, IND and
Cambridge, testified II rates were In
creased his company would be compelled
to take all of its business from the rail-
roads and ship by truck and water.
Can't Stand Raise.
E. r. Clark Of New York, representing
the Metal q Thermit Corporation. said
his company was experiencing bad BUSH
ness and could not stand an Increase in
freight rates
The company already was moving
large quantities Of its product by truck
and water with truck rate now Is
per cent under the rail rate, he said
He predicted an increase in trucking
and asserted much Of the scrap mate
rial would be left in storage instead
Of being shipped at the higher rate.
H. F. Masman OF New York. repre-
senting the National Association Of
Waste Material Dealers predicted the
carriers would not benefit by any In
crease. Rates were now such a large
part Of the cost of scrap materials. he
said, that some dealers would get out
OF the business and others would divert
it TO trucks rather than pay increased
freight rates.