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Show CUT URGED IN yPDNUMBEl Reductions Will Spur Construction, Con-struction, I. C. C. Is Told WASIIINTJT' N. Jan. 20. General reductions In freiLht rates on lumber with ti iew to encouraging construction construc-tion activities, were asked today by representatives of the lumber industry indus-try at the interstate commerce commission com-mission inquiry into existing transportation transpor-tation charges W. S. Phlppen, secretary of the National Na-tional Wholesale Lumber aaaoclatiop told Ihe commission that if the 1920 rate Increase were removed there might be a resumption of construction activity and business operation which would Increase tho consumption of lumber. CUT COAL FIRST Members of the commission asked Mr Phippen which commodit) he thought was entitled to the first rate reduction and he replied that coal might be first considered to advantage but that building materials should cer-alnly cer-alnly be second. The (same question was directed to D. L. Kelley. who appeared for the South Dakota Railroad commission and he also Indicated the opinion that coal should le first given advantage of rate reduction. with construction materials next. Present rales t,n lumber, lum-ber, he said, had a "burdensome effect on all construction work in the state." He added that railroads by reducing rates could secure "substantially the same or larger revenues than they are now getting because t.. tin increase in traffic that would result. PRI K I I I WTTN1 SS That prevailing high railroad rates on cement, sand, gravel, lime, plaster and brick are seriously hampering building operations throughout the in- termountaln country, are holding back the road-building program that Ls under un-der way ir. all those states, are reducing reduc-ing the earnings of the railroads themselves them-selves and should be cut at lea si 2" per cent, was asserted Wednesday before be-fore the interstate commerce commission commis-sion by H W. Prickett. who appeared appear-ed on behalf of the governors of P'tah. Idaho. Wyoming, Montana Colorado New Mexico and Arizona In support of his contention, Mr Prickett introduced intro-duced evidence to show the extent to which building operations have been curtailed and tben showing up railroad rates that are today contributing contrib-uting so much to the high cost of construction con-struction work. |