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Show CLOSE HEARING ! ON RAIL RATES Greatpst Single Proposition Ever Submitted to Interstate Inter-state Com. Commission. WASHINGTON, July 7. Hearings j wero losed before the Interstate commerce com-merce commission yesterday on the railroad" application for Increased 1 fndght rates which had been debt de-bt I bj ahlppera and carriers alike 14 tlo Krc.itest Mliikle proposition in its rff. ee n the Amer.can people ever submitted to the commission. ipi H'.on l ihe roniTnlsj-ion on the jip in-all. n 1-. expected e.irl in August I In order that the new rntes may be j . ffei tive when the icoverninent guar-tlt guar-tlt expires September I. It is gen-erally gen-erally awuined that the forthcoming wage award of the railroad labor d lie taken into consideration without further hearings In adjusting the new schedules. The railroads under the provisions of th- transportation act asked rate , - Whit h would yield un added yearly income of $1,017,000,000 to provide the 6 per cent return permit -d by the 1 n. In addition the ex-psnae ex-psnae to be created by the expected award of the railroad labor board, es- tlmaied at between i.ioo.ooo.ooo and $ 1.000. 00. 000. must be met by fur-thi fur-thi r ini'rc,i.sf:i. the carriers claim. N : lit) POK 1 1 ipposltion on the part of shippers wus confined mainly to the rates of 1 Inorcaaea asked by the carriers. 30 per C nt In the east. 31 per cent in the 1 'iih and L'-t per cent In the west, j which. It was argued were too high ! The nc-e?slty for some advance was jjrcnerally conceded. Many shippers 1 disapproved of a general advance on the M.rict percentage basis as advocated advocat-ed by the carriers and suggested flat increases on certain commodities. BORNE BY PA88KNGER& Closing arguments tor the roads A P. Thoni, general counsel for the Association As-sociation 01 Hallway Kxecutlves, told the commission that when the labor board's decision wad handed down the carriers would ask that part of the further rate advance made necessary should be horne by the passenger traffic traf-fic The carriers heretofore h :.l asked that the entire advance be placed on freight. Inadequate service is more costly than high rates, Mr. Thorn contended, adding that the public ,, sires proper transportation for the commerce of the country above all else. The question ques-tion of the amount of the rate Increase In-crease Is a public one, he declared, and must be determined by the test Ol What is best for the public interest. |