The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-08-24
YOUR DOLLAR
(BY Consumers Union)

Union points out IN a series OF articles
by two railroad authorities on what
ails the railroad industry. Passenger
traffic has declined, and since 1888
American roads have been losing as
much as 200 million dollars a year on
passenger service.
Yet Americans travel at least four
times as much as they did at the
height of railroad passenger pros
perity. They are using automobiles
and busses, while passenger coaches
roll along five-sixths empty.
Why has railroad travel fallen off ?
High rates, obsolete equipment and
poor service drive away the customers.
The roads may reply that they are
already losing money on their pass
|enger service and can't offord to low
er rates or improve the service. But,
the writer's argue, it's possible to i'm
prove the service, increase the rev.
enue and bring this important indus
try back to the position of public SER
vice it should occupy. Experiments
already tried by several roads indicate
that straight 1c mile fares, instead
|Of the present nc basic fare with
exorbitant additional charges for Pull
man traveD may quintuple passenger
traffic. Modern, air conditioned, high
speed trains, now highly advertised
but hard to find, will attract enough
additional passengers to pay for them
selves several times over. Single unit
motor rail cars with Diesel electric
motors can provide comfortable, air
conditioned, fast travel even on short
local runs, at 23c a mile operating
costs instead of the 42c a mile used
up by old style equipment.
The railroads talk about new pass
enger equipment but install very little
of it. GUS articles demonstrate that
only one out of every % trains run
ming is a modern train. Only $50 of
locomotives have been built since
1929. 500 date from before the war.
TO complete effectively with auto
travel, railroads should make it
possible for the passenger to take a
train, instead of Catching" it as he
now does. Railroads can, if they will
pick up the passenger at his home,
relieve him of all the fussy details of
securing tickets and checking baggage,
deliver him and his baggage to his
street and number destination, after
a comfortable, speedy, tipless ride.
That is not fantastic wishful thinking,
but the sober report of a Federal in
vestigation.
Such improvements, Consumers
Union believes, would enable the rail
roads to reemploy many of the mill
ion men who lost their jobs, would
create new jobs and new business in
equipment building, would provide de-
cent salaries instead of tips to rail
road porters, Walters and sleeping car
attendants. In~Ao doing, they would
contribute materially to national re-
covery. And they would provide con-
venient, safe and comfortable travel to
millions of Americans.
K x X
Electric TOasters
Toasters that pop up, toasters that
flash lights and ring bells, toasters
that deliver your toast on conveyor,
were among the models recently tested
by Consumers Union in an effort to
improve American breakfasting. Points
to look out for in testing a toaster
were found to be: freedom from table
scorching and shock risks-such as ex-
cessive heat radiated downwards, or
electrical connections between the
frame and current carrying parts;
convenience; and ability to make good
toast. OF the "a toasters tested, 8
made exceptionally good toast, 20
were average and 5 made toast that
was burned and underdone.
A fairly satisfactory automatic
turnover toaster was found as low as
$l.95, good semi-automatic toasters
which ring bell and turn off when
toast is done on either side can be
bought at around $3.50. Oscars Heat
master Cat. No. 1878, 1929 plus post
age; Proctor Model 1444, $3.95). and
well made, completely automatic toast
ers cost from S7.25 up. Complete
ratings of the 81 toasters, by brand
name, are carried lin Consumers Union
Reports for August.
X X X
Slips
Good fit and good wear are what
woman wants most in slip. In spite
of standard construction and compar-
ative freedom from style changes,
Consumers Union found in tests Of 60
slips that it's still hard to find these
simple qualities at a reasonable price.
Getting good fit is not so difficult
if you try the slip on before you buy.
Try to get a written guarantee against
excessive shrinkage, to make sure the
garment will still fit after it is wash
ed.
Some of the qualities affecting the
service slip will give are: strength
and type of fabric, seam strength,
strength of trimming and the way it
is attached, strap strength, yarn slip
page (meaning the tendency of yarns
to shift position without breaking, pro-
|ducing blistered appearance and
weakening the fabric). Rayon or silk