Evening star., 1932-12-26

Approaching the time for further ac-
ton on the several problems connected
with the operation of the railroads of
the country, the various interests in
volTed offer many proposals for i'm
proving conditions. The siX-hour day
is closely examined in its relation to
labor, while rates and forms of compe-
tition also receive attention. Govern
nlent regulation IS, in some instances
placed on the defensive.
With present competitive condi-
tions," thinks the Chicago Daily News,
the introduction of the siX-hour day
on an eight-hour pay basis would be
fatal to many of the weaker rail SyS-
tens" That paper traces much of the
decline in rail earnings TO the new
competition" In connection with this
phase Of the subject it states: THE rate
of increase in the use of motor trucks
may be estimated from incomplete sta
tisticS In 1919, for example. 2.453. .568
head of live stock were trucked to the
II important receiving centers. In 1881
the total was 2l,162, ,430 head. Truck
loads of groceries. furniture. building
materials and other freight are familiar
on the highways"
Referreing to a report made by the
Boston Transcript says: The commits
sion finds that the application of the
principle of a siX-hour day would rem
der necessary between $4,000 and 100,-
900 additional carrier employees in
year of abnormal economic conditions
such as now exist. But under these ab-
normal economic conditions. it is not
improbable that any attempt to intro
duce the six-hour day without CORE
spending reduction in wages would
mean such further uncertainty in busi-
ness that the reduction in the sum total
of employment would be greater than
any gain in employment in the railroad
world"
Quoting the general conclusions of
the Interstate Commerce Commission
as equivalent to the classic statement.
If I had little ham, I would have
ham and eggs for breakfast, If I only
had the eggs" the Wall Street Journal
concludes: THAT is the chief intellec-
tua1 sustenance to be derived from the
commissions report upon an elaborate
investigation conducted at the beheSt OF
Congress, which confesses itself under
nourished. But the meal frugal as it
is was not served without one little
sprig of parsley for garnishment. The
commission finds that the maximum
estimate of any added operating ex-
pense' to be expected of a Six-hour day,
under the prevailing wage basis, must
be only S57O,0 100000 annually, whereas
some of the railroad officers testlfylng
before the commission had calculated 1t
as high as S702, 100000. Plainly enough,
the commission has here effected a
saving of S132, 100000 a year in the
hypothetical operating expense OF the
carriers as a whole. That sum, ADDED
to the additional revenue from freight
rate increases which all shippers Will
| joyfully ask the commission TO make IN
| order to render the Slx-hour day 1easlple,
will be more than ample to enable the
carriers to still maintain credit And
If some erstWhile investor IN railroad
bonds should impudently ask, What
credit?' the commission would sternly
and quite properly bid him return TO
his ham and eggs"
Concern for the welfare Of the roads
is indicated in the statement by the
Sioux Falls Daily Argus-Leader: The
railroads are in a desperate condition
today. Their freight and passenger
revenues are dwindiing. Yet, we need
them. South Dakota would be gravely
handicapped if all railroad lines should
cease operation. The passenger angle
might not disturb us, but without raIi-
roads the problem of transporting our
grain to market would be real one.
Trucks can handle merchandise with
considerable degree of efficiency, but
they cannot move grain. Neither can
they carry our coal on a reasonable
basis. If competition were equalized,
the railroads might be able to weather
the storm and come out on q salts