Salt Lake Telegram | 1933-11-21 | Page 9 | Rail Employes Would Revise Commerse Act

RAIL WOULD REVISE COMMERCE ACT Group Meets in n S. S L. L to Discuss Discuss Discuss' Discuss Discuss' Dis Dis- Dis- Dis cuss cuss' Steamship Competition tion Reduction Revision of the fourth section of the interstate commerce act to allow railroads to compete more easily with steamship lines was was sought Tuesday by representatives of ot western railroads railroads rail rail- roads and brotherhoods at the Newhouse Newhouse Newhouse New- New house hotel The group seeks the revision to stimulate rail employment which they contend has fallen off because of diversion of a large part of transcontinental trans continental freight which formerly moved through intermountain states through ugh the Panama Many in Attendance Approximately 75 representatives of ot all standard brotherhoods includIng including including ing the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Brotherhood of Locomotive tive live Firemen and Order of Railroad Conductors Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen American Train Dispatchers' Dispatchers association Order of Railroad Telegraphers and Brotherhood Brotherhood Broth Broth- of Railroad Clerks as well as representatives of all western railroads railroads railroads rail rail- roads attended Abrogation of or relief under the authority of the fourth section would enable railroads to compete for traffic now moving to the Pac Pacific ic coast by bywater bywater bywater water Hugn Hugh M. M Jones general chairman chairman chair chair- man of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Locomotive tive Firemen and told the group Rates made by the railroads railroad n in order to compete would of course be lower to the Pacific coast ports than those rates applying to intermediate points Mr Jones said However as the destinations involved are arc already already already al al- al- al ready receiving rates via steamship lines intermediate points would not be harmed especially as many rates proposed will have to be approved by bythe bythe bythe the interstate commerce commission An Increase in rail traffic would I benefit every merchant prof professional ional man and in f fact ct every citizen in the intermountain territory who relies to tol any extent upon-the upon of the railroad men Revenue Distributed The railroads immediately distribute distribute distribute ute in payrolls p purchases es and taxes Inthe Inthe in inthe the west a along long their lines about three- three fourths of the money they take in Mr l Jones said The revenue derived from rom any additional traffic resulting from th the thi meeting of Panama canal competition would be distributed in even greater degree among the people living along the lines of these roads he pointed out Other speakers pointed out the benefits to the railroad workers and others which will result if jf If some serite changes are made In the fourth section see see- Lion tion of the interstate commerce act which will allow the railroads to obtain ob oh- obtain tain lain more of th the freight which Is now being carried by steamships through the Panama c canal l. l