Show INTERSTATE CONFERENCE CONFfENCE Complaints of Discrimination In the South 0 Washington May 12 Another conference con-ference of railway officials with the interstate terstate commerce commissioners began here today the subject this time being the rate situation in the south About twentyfive roads were represented covering the territory south of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi The published pub-lished rates in the south are stated to be better maintained than in most sections sec-tions but there have been complaints of discrimination in some cases in favor of the larger cities and towns The commission will next Monday begin in New York an investigation into the subject of the export rates made by the various transcontinental lines the most discouraging feature of the present rate situation Many of the roads have represented to the commission com-mission that they are under no obligation obli-gation to publish the export rates holding hold-ing that the sixth section of the interstate Inter-state commerce act regarding publication publica-tion does not apply to those rates I The commission however proposes to contest this assertion and will make a thorough inquiry with a view to remedying the demoralization of rates in which all the transcontinental lines figure The trouble is an old one and is due to the competition for business among commission agents of the roads This export freight demoralization is general the rates In some cases being cut 50 and 100 per cent It is said below be-low domestic rates |