Evening star., 1943-12-19
BY LAWRENCE PERRY.

NEW YORK, Dec. 18.-The ap-
preaching holiday season, bringing
heavy increase in a demand for
train reservations, has given sharper
point to vicious condition of long
standing In the sale Of seats, berths
and staterooms on through trains.
Accommodations are being sold un-
derground at huge premiums Any
price asked is paid, cheerfully or
otherwise, by those who travel
through necessity or on pleasure
trips.
Admitting the existence of this
evil situation, railroad officials,
travel agencies and others interested
in the legitimate sale of reserved
space assert, however, that no black
market exists in the sense of organ
lied groups of racketeers.
(Railway agents and hotelmen
in Washington said they had not
heard Of any such black mar
ket sales of travel tickets in this
area, despite the heavy demand
for rail reservations.)
Detectives Seek Racketeers.
Technically speaking these mar
kets may not be black. But their
hue Is by no means roseate. This
is particularly the case in accom-
modations for travellers bound from
this city to points west of Chicago
but it also applies to other cities.
Railroads admit this. So do the
approved travel bureaus. Every pos
sible effort Is being made to deal
with the situation. All of them have
company operatives and private de-
tective agencies constantly covering
the various sources of space supply
From time to time discoveries are
made that throw at least half light
upon sources and manner of abuse
The public does not escape COM
phcity in these revelations. 1t in
cludes thousands of those who have
no real necessity fer. travel. Phey
will pay and they do pay well to
crafty their desire-white soldiers
sleep on car floors. Women are re-
ported to be the worst offenders in
this respect. - $50
Thus you have a public willing to
patronize underground agencies.
You have the hidden persons who
cater to them. You have a vicious
circle of selfish demand and nefari-
Gus supply. How does it work :?
Certain instances may be cited to
show, at least, some of the ways in
which it functions.
Was 'Consultant Bureau
Recently word came to A. B.
Chown, chairman of the Trunk
Lines, central passenger association
here, from one of the great rail-
road lines Of tourist agency up
town which was procuring reserva-
tions for patrons at high premium.
Mr.. Chown called up this agency,
saying it had been recommended to
him as means of getting a berth
to Denver. The speaker at the
other end of the wire said that his
agency was no longer engaged in
direct sale Of reservations. It was
now consultant bureau. However,
if Mr.. Chown would call up at 2
o'clock that afternoon something
might be done for him. He got the
space and paid a premium of $l1
for it.
Railroad authorities involved
traced the original sale of that
space to a regular ticket agent. In
vestigation is now being conducted
to see if the agent got rake-of or
sold it in good faith.
But, a. you must realize" said
Mr.. Chown, this instance and 9TH
erS, in view of the immense bulk
of daily sales, are isolated and do
not indicate a regularly conducted
black market"
Another case involves the first
vice president of an important in
dustrial corporation in this city. The
other day this man was finding some
|difhculty with his transportation
department. 1t could not get him
space he wanted on train to WASH
Iington. One OF the company's at
torneys happened to be in the office
at the time.
Paid $40 Fee.
"Pshaw" he said, why all this
bother. I can send you to a hotel
porter who will get you the space
without trouble-for $40 extra"
This turned out to be the case.
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