Show BILLIONS INVOLVED IN N LAWSUIT LAWSUIT According to Merle Thorpe a magazine editor the tho th American people eople are unaware of ot the fact that hat a lawsuit involving 20 0 to 40 billion dollars donars is being fought out In n the courts He makes this ex ex- explanation The St. St Louis court of ot appeals has lIas as the case A little railroad the theL thet L t. t Louis and OFallon is making I the le fight against book- book bookkeeping keeping The government claimed of ot excess profits under the tho recapture clause of ot the transportation allon tation act which entitled the gov goy to half halt tho the profit in ex- ex cess ess of oC six per cent earned by all railroads The valuation placed by the in in- commerce commission in estimating profits of ot the railroad was vas determined chiefly by cost of o I reproduction at 1914 prices The railroad contends valuation should have haye been made malle at current prices If H f the supreme court upholds this t ls contention present railroad valuations valuations ions on which returns also fares and freight rates are arc fixed will be nearer forty Corty billions Instead of ot twenty wenty billions The Tho decision the he interstate commerce commis- commis commission Ion slon says is of ot tho the greatest con con- sequence Mr Thorpe points out that the public is unexcited on this as well as over o United States postoffice overhead of ot on franks Cranks rural ural free Cree delivery and special post post- postage postage age classes which result In a def def- defIcit Jelt of o and thereabouts annually Its the national system of ot book book- keeping he lie declares and con con- ludes that no private business con con- cern ern could prosper with books kept In n this way Now ow that attention has been called ailed to this big railroad suit in intJe tIe M impelling way wa Mr Thorpe has adopted the American people may maye maybe maybe be e expected to wake wak up lip It would be e a mistake to suddenly change the he whole rate structure of ot the rail rail- railroads roads oads even though the law might allow How that action What Whal business must avoid avoil Is sudden udden upsets and to radically I change hango railroad l rates either up tip or I down own would bring Just such a dis- dis I |