Show DECREASE IN COST OF LIViNG IS PREDICTED Efficiency of Transportation Transportation Transportation tation to Enable Industries Industries Indus Indus- tries t toj Speed Up UpA A general Jeneral conception of ot In Increased increased In- In creased rates Is that they will wf ha have vo serious effect in increasing cost of or living Opinion is growing that the rato rate increase instead of adding ading to cost of or living will vill wi u ulti ultimately utti- utti t. t decrease It It Increased revenues revenues revenues rev rev- will vilI wil enable railroads to re re- re habilitate existing equipment and purchase new cars and locomotives tives and mako such improvements as aswill will wil enable them to carry cany more goods gooda During tho the war Wr and since the tho manufacturer has had had anI difficulty dun dun- cult culty in getting raw rW materials and in making shipments so that an Increase in efficiency of or transportation tation will wil enable Industrial operations oper to be speeded up says sas a k Philadelphia dispatch President Vauclain of or Baldwin ln I Locomotive Works recently pointed point point- ed out this situation to a group roup of engineers He ventured opinIon opinIon ion that if I the Baldwin had to pay more a year in increased rates they could make more net a year ear because o of larger business the increased lion tion ton made possible would permit them to do Railroad rates have ha e at all 31 times 1 been so 80 low that cost of freight transportation has generally been I one half or 01 third one-third tho charges chanes made mado in European Europen countries and md it I I Is expected that when rates are are adjusted in European countries to meet existing conditions even when cost of delivery delvery and collection tion lon or of freight ht are arc excluded j conee-j from Crom charges charge on European railroads average av aV- av- av ton mile ton charge in this I country countr will wil bo be b less than tha one halt one hal 1 that charged In most European I countries countries American business and American cost of ot living l win vilI 11 not nor therefore be hurt but helped by dealing fairly with the tho railroads I and as ns efficiency of or tho the past put is re no- no sum d gradually but surely cost 10 1 of living should be re reduced rather than increased d. d Another general misconception is that tho increased revenues con con- con a guarantee of a return to individual roads The Tho rates aro are made to produce a a return of ot about 6 per cent on property investment for Cor the railroads as a whole In groups and if J an ld individual a railroad railroad rail raU- road by efficient management management and ad service is able blo to earn carn more than other railroads that is to its Is benefit bene beno- fit fH but if It it I fail falls to cam earn can its It share there thero is no provision pro to assure asure it i any return upon tho the investment There here is a provision which limits return which railroad systems may earn which cannot exceed 6 G per percent percent percent cent on property investment without without with with- wih- wih out participation in iii 11 the excess by the government |