Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-05-17
Letters to The Star
Star Readers Join In Demane

Inc page warning by the Chesapeake
& Ohio Lines in The Star for May IA
suggested that interested people write
to your newspaper" regarding railroad
and Pullman black marketing.
I herewith raise my voice in protest.
This form Of black marketing Is the
only one that has involved me. Other
black market items are things I can
do without But my only method of
travelling is via railroad and Pullman
accommodation as my yearly trip to
my daughter is such a long one that
Pullman service is an absolute neces-
sity.
Certainly, hope something can and
will be done to get rid of this menace.
MARY E. SHAW.
To the Editor Of The Star:
During the war-and since-I have
been turned down for Pullman reser-
vations, yet never have ridden in a
Pullman when there weren't some
empty spaces.
I'm feet inches tall and vet rode
from Houston, Tex, to San Francisco in
an upper when there were several lowers
empty in my car
I greatly admire c. & o. for It's
honest campaign. NATL. MILLER.
To the Editor Of The Star:
no longer want to tolerate the
greedy hand Of the black market in
railroad reservations, and I ask sup
port OF the press in breaking this racket.
MRS. E. B. STATS.
To the Editor Of The Star:
1t Is an insult to the American way
OF life to allow the sale of railroad
berths to be handled in such an I'M
planned manner that they are out of
the reach of so many people who must
depend on this public service, espe-
cially when trains pull out of the sta
tons with empty spaces in them.
To me it is uncomfortable that the
present hlt-or-miSs method should con-
tinue in view of the fact that at last
one line, the Chesapeake & Ohio, has
had the decency to let the public know
what can be done to avert the black
market dealing in sleeping space on
trains, lie, have tickets reserved or
sold in the name OF individuals who
intend to use them and have tickets
nontransferable.
RUTH D. KAPLAN.
To the EDITOR of The Star:
The Star carried an advertisement bv
the c. & o., relative to the racket in
Pullman space.
l trust your paper will comment edi-
torially on that situation. More than
once since the end OF the war I've seen
people turned down on Pullman space
and have watched the cars 60 out only
partially filled.
Last summer in Montreal I had to
pay ticket agent extra for space to
New York, with other people clamoring
for tickets. This car was but half filed
when it departed.
RALPH C. BISHOP.
To the Editor OF The Star:
l feel that the current campaign in
augurated by the c. &, o. Railroad Co.
to eliminate the railroad ticket racket
the press throughout the entire United
States.
Having been victim of these racket
GERS many times and having seen how
openly and brazenly they work, I am
disguised beyond words.
There are other important angles
also. First, with the whole world strug-
Cling desperately to attain better eco
nomic, living and moral standards.
there is absolutely no excuse for any of
us to tolerate racketeers or criminals of
any kind.
Then, from the pocketbook angle
beside the fact that the ticket-racket-
eer robs the individual ticket-pur-
chaser-their ring or rings must cheat
the railroads out of fabulous totals.
know for a fact that numerous times
when I could not obtain sleeper reser-
vations from any regular source-"be-
cause the trains were sold out solid
I have boarded the trains anyhow and
found many berths empty throughout
the trip. Thus many desperate would
be passengers were deceived and incon-
venienced, and the railroads and Pull
RUSSELL G. BISHOP.
To the Editor Of The Star:
After reading the full-page statement
in The Star, I wish to record my sup
port of the views set forth by the c. &
o. Railroad in that statement concern
ing possible remedy to block the Sleep
ing-car rackets. 1t sounds like reason
able plan to stop the BLACK markets"
in tickets and reservations.
MISS HELEN K. STETSON.
To the Editor of The Star:
l was glad to observe the publicity
given to the advertisement by the
Chesapeake & Ohio Lines entitled
Let's Get the Black Markets Hand
Out of the Travellers Pocket"
1t will please me and all others who
have been suffering from this evil prac-
tice in the past few years. if you will
give this subject full support In your
columns until the black market opera
ton is completely wiped out.
ETHEL E. FISHET..
To the Editor of The Star:
As frequent traveller on railroads in
recent years, I have heard of many
instances of the operation of racketeers
In connection with the sale of sleeping
car space. All of us know that this de-
plorable situation exists, yet nothing is
done about it. Why is this so?
1t would seem that an aroused pub
lie would have little difficulty in bring
ing about the necessary reform.
1T. w. B. CHERRY,