Evening star., 1933-09-28
Success of Excursion Rates
Seen as Cause of Fare Cuts

Action of railroads in deciding to
recommend reduction in passenger fares
Is believed by the public to have its in
rates offered for travellers to the Chi
cago Exposition and in the increased
traffic created by week end excursions to
various cities. The reduction proposed
Is from So cents q mile to 2 cents q
mile for round trips and cents fol
one-way fares. Western and Southern
roads have tried out reductions, and
now the Eastern roads have fallen into
line.
Presidents Of the Eastern railroads
the Pennsylvania, New York Central and
New Haven among them," says the
Scranton Times, have admitted that
reduction Of fares Is an effective way oi
bringing back business" That paper
adds: Having at last come to q COM
mon sense acknowledgment of what is
ailing the passenger business Of the rail:
roads perhaps now we can expect the
carriers to meet truck competition by
reducing freight rates and installing
certain services which have served to
make delivery Of freight by truck ad-
vantageous and convenient for consign-
ors and consignees.
This Is not sheer altruism," remarks
the Baltimore Evening Sun. "The rail-
roads have simply decided, after q good
deal OF experimenting In the South and
passengers from the raids of the busses
and airplanes. Low fares, tried out on
Southern and Western roads, have
brought back a rush of business; and
exceedingly low special rates to the
Chicago fair have also worked well. So
now the experiment is to be extended to
the main lines in the East. The project
seems reasonable. In most lines Of bus
tness II your competitor offers the same
service at lower rate. you assume as a
matter OF course that you must either
improve your own service, or meet his
rates"
The railroads are fighting for their
lives, and many of them have their
backs to the WALL" declares the Peoria
Star. The automobile has all but put
them out of business. It has crimped
their passenger business until there is
practically nothing left of it, and the
short haul freight business. too, is being
handed over rapidly to motor trucks
The slash in passenger rates can only
be construed as an attempt to compete
with the automobile. Many rail officials
believe that rates If cut sufficiently will
cause a return Of much Of the lost pas
senger business.
Speaking Of some Of the advantages
of rail trafac, the Brooklyn Eagle points
out that, "as the roads lower the cost
of passenger tickets, at the same time
increasing the speed and comfort OF
their trains, they recover thousands Of
travellers, who, in the past years, have
been diverted toward other forms OF
transportation" That paper recognizes
that special rates to the Chicago fair
have played part In the stimulation OF
business" and is convinced that "the
greatest single factor has been reduce
ton of the regular charges for one-day
and week end tickets" The Eagle re-
cords that the Louisville & Nashville
was q pioneer in the movement. and
that "the experiment has been 50 profit
able that the railroad has asked the
authority to make the rates permanent
1.-THE Southern Railway" according
to the Charlotte Observer, took the
lead in giving the public benefit OF
cheap fares and with such success that
other railroads are moving to follow.
Anticipation Is that the Interstate Com
merce Commission win prove friendly to
the move and viii authorize reduced
fares for all railroad lines to become
effective December /. In deciding to
let the railroads have their own way
in the matter Of providing cheaper
fares, the Interstate Commerce Com
mission Is acting the part of wisdom.
Experinece has proved that the railroad
managers know more about running
railroads than the commission does.
The Southern's lead In the direction Of
cheaper fares was at first opposed by
many Of the roads, but all are now
coming TO !. the conclusion that the