Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-15
CONDUCTORS WANT
BUSES REGULATED.
Brotherhood Seeks Control
by |. C. C. Over Highway
and Water Carriers.

The order Of Railway Conductors
one Of the big four" train brother.
hoods, wants the same regulation fol
commercial highway carriers las Is ex-
ercised over rail carriers by the Inter.
state Commerce Commission"
Making the first appearance by any
railroad union before the motor-rail CO.
ordination hearing being conducted BY
the Interstate Commerce Commission
w. M. Clark, a vice president of the
o. r. c., yesterday presented circular
sent throughout its ranks by E. p
Curtis, head of the order, in which its
recommendations were outlined.
The circular also covered the subject
of inland waterways and pipe lines, for
which I. g. G. regulation also was
recommended, but addressed itself par
ticularly 70 the subject Of motor car
rierS.
RapS Subsidies.
The three forms Of competition were
described as operating with subsidies
from States or the Federal Government,
constituting a burden to the general
public and working to the detriment OF
the railroads, their employees and stock
holders
The incursion of some roads into the
field of motor operation, by which
means they have sought to lower OPP
Grating losses and compete with other
motor carriers, was characterized as
unfortunate" in that this does not
solve the problem of the trainmel
thrown out of work
The circular also made known that
the officials of 81 railroad unions have
been attempting to arrange conferences
with railroad executives all over the
country in an effort to map out a COM
mon policy to meet the threat Of water,
highway and pipeline competition.
Interest Lays
Thus far, however, 1t was explained,
not q sufficient number OF ran execu-
tives had interested themselves O the
idea to Justify the conference.
The circular, which was made part
Of the record, said the unions intended
to talk frankly to the rail leaders
concerning Serious internal problems
which, presumably, referred to the
motor operations of the railroads.
Lorne Macdonald Of Montreal, freight
traffic manager for the Canadian Ma
tional Railways System, another wit
ness, testified in support Of the con-
tention of American railways that I'M
regulated truck competition was ruin
ing business, citing conditions on the
Canadian line. An unsuccessful effort
was made by the Canadian National TO
meet this competition by giving store
door delivery by truck. he said. Mr..
Macdonald also testified that the queS-
ton of truck regulation Is now being
discussed in Canada.
He was followed by Charles A. Skog
Of Detroit, general freight agent Of the
Grand Trunk Western, an affiliate Of
the Canadian National, whose testi-
mony was along the same line.
Asks Joint HauIs.
William II. Chandler, trafic manager
for the New York Merchants Associa-
ton, who has been actively defending
the interests Of commercial truckers at
the hearing, took the stand for direct
testimony and advocated a plan of
motor-ral coordination, under which
the railroads would transport loaded
truck bodies or containers to designated
rail heads, where they would be picked
up by trucks, the railroads under such
an arrangement getting the long haul
and the truckers, the short between
way stations and at terminals
j. r. Dalton, traffic manager Of the
Norfolk Southern, completed testimony
begun Friday afternoon with an argu-
ment for regulation Of buses and
trucks, which he showed had cut
heavily into the revenues Of his line.
The hearing, which has been In
progress since last Fall under Chair
man Ezra Brainer, jr., Of the commits
sion, and Examiner Leo j. Flynn, will
end Tuesday. Sessions are being held
at the Willard Hotel.