Show PROBLEMS OF THE RAILROADS PRESIDENT HEARS representatives OF LABOR BOARD AND COMMERCE commission statement made that increased rates rate would only stifle commerce predicted predicate d that railroads railroad may go into hands of receiver washington As ills first move I 1 in a his endeavor to alleviate the critical financial condition of 0 the railroads Pres president dent I 1 larding harding conferred for or more than two hours on march 31 with chairman dark clark of the interstate commerce commis commission lion and chairman baro bar o ton ot of the railway labor board the discussion revolved around them thai effect of the business deprea depression aslon oni on volume of transportation operating expenses ot of the carriers and feasible economies of the proposed reduction of wages and of freight rates mr dark clark informed the president that tiny any further increase of rates would only stifle commerce without producing additional revenue revenue and that a reduction of rates is out of the ques don until operating expenses ure curtailed A high official of the administration declared that in the event business did not nor improve ampro e generally within the next six months a great many railroads railroad would be in the hands of 0 receivers by july 1 which would be equivalent to government operation the conference closed without plans plana for other meetings of the same character and nothing in the way of 0 joint action by the interstate commerce commission and the railroad labor board to meet the existing situation is contemplated president harding it was learned regarded the conference as the most direct method of informing himself of one of tile the most important domestic questions before the country today it was also ako stated that it Is farthest from thet the fresl presidents dents intentions to take any steps that might appear to be going coins over the cheadl head of the interstate commerce commission or the railroad labor board the information obtained by the pr president eIdent may be utilized by him in his hia message to congress at the beginning of the extra session which lie its has called for april 11 it has not been definitely settled however that the railroad problem will be one of the matters to which the president will direct the attention nt of congress |