Show I RAILROAD REPORT SHOWS SHO JAN LOSS Causes Are Bad Weather and Freight Embargoes Statement I By Associated Press WASHINGTON March M 28 For For For th the the-I r first time In many years railroads operated operated operated oper oper- at t a loss Iss In January Januar the first month of or government so control Tho The situation on Is la attributed b by railroad men almost en entirely entirely entirely en- en to the unprecedented d had bad weather and freight embargoes which reduced the hauling of general traffic to a minimum and increased expenses far tar be beyond ond nor nor- mal The Tho deficit was suffered only by h eastern castera castern cast cast- ern era lines JInes while western estern and southern roads made mado small profits For February the record was WiS much better though exact figures are aro not not available available avail avail- able and the railroad administration hopes to make higher earnings of at later months offset the tho poor January Januar show show- ing Otherwise Othen the government will lose Jose money In compensating railroads on theba the tho ba basis ls of or their average earnings for tor thelast tho the last throe three years eurs Preliminary reports from 1 of the largo large roads ro compiled b by the interstate commerce commission and made mado public today show a January Januar deficit In railway operating Income of an as compared compared com corn pared with positive earnings of In January Januar last year ear and about In December December-a. a low record for that month Operating Operating- revenues were and operating expenses Tho The di difference ference between these Items or th the net revenue was wan more than taxes of 14 swallowed up by ordinary rn nl J f. f Va war V levies levIe I which probably ob bl would d amount t tto to moro more than und and which tho the roads must pa pay out of the government compensation payments The eastern roads deficit In operating Income was compared with net operating earnings of ot In January January Jan Jan- uary 1917 For the tho western lines hues this was as compared d with 30 the same month last year car and southern lines made as compared com corn pared with the tho same month last year ear |