Show Kiwanis Enjoy I Railroad Talk Mr W. W O. O Pell PeU general chairman re representing re- re representing presenting tho the western conference com com- committee committee of ot the tho standard railroad labor organizations appeared before tho the Park City Kiwanis club Wednesday evening e of ot last week urging the tho support of ot the tho club in connection with the tho bill bUl l now before congress which would if It passed enable the railroads to compete fairly with water carriers operating via I tho the Panama canal for coast to coast coast to-coast t freight shipments Mr Pell PeU stated that tho the railroads are arc the country's basic baste transportation agency No matter what the weather or other conditions may mo be I substantial substantially ly every ery Industry every grow- grow grower j i er er every shipper r In n the tho United States suites can con rely at all times upon dependable rail transportation to carry his commodities ties tI to market near and ond far Other and newer forms of ot transportation the tho truck upon tho the highway the airplane In the air the ship and barge bargo by sea en enand and Inland waterway waterway all all offer limited service Ice depending In some cases caste upon weather conditions and season of ot the year and In other cases restricted as asin asIn asin in the instance of ot the steamship lines to the service of ship ship- shippers pers enjoying geographical advantages It Is worthy of note that while all these I other forms tonus of ot competing transportation could under some Inconceivable emer emer- emergency emergency gency suddenly discontinue their service I without bringing the nations nations' commerce to a stop atop discontinuance cf of railroad service for tor 48 hours not only would see I national commerce and Industry brought to a virtual standstill but would bring actual privation to large sections of ot our I population The point is that the rall- rall railroads roods roads are by far tho the most moat fundamental part of ot the transportation system of the United States and as such are entitled to a more sympathetic II consideration and understanding than they now enjoy In Indispensable In- In Indispensable Indispensable dispensable to the life Ufe of ot the tho nation tho the railroads ought to be given gl equal opportunity under the administration of or law and regulations Particularly relief should be given the rail lines In connection with the much discussed and generally misunderstood long and short haul clause of the fourth section of the tho Interstate com com- commerce merco merce act for tor no other single regulatory policy polley has damaged the western w n railroads rail rail- railroads railroads roads so 80 extensively Its Ita application has haa resulted In n the exclusion of ot the railroads from participation In the tho carriage of or many commodities and has bos given to the steamship lines lIne plying the Panama canal route between the Atlan Atlan- Atlantic Atlantic tic and Pacific coasts a tremendous and unfair advantage antage in the tho solicitation of or transcontinental non perishable traffic Ono One of ot tho the most moat Important provisions of the tho Interstate In commerce act Is 1 the thelong thelong thelong long and short haul clause commonly known as the fourth section This clause cla was Introduced into the law originally In 1887 when the first tint act to regulate I commerce was enacted I It was a simple statute originally providing that a rail rail- railroad railroad railroad road should not charge less IMS for tor a n longer haul than for tor a n shorter haul If the shorter haul baul was wu Included in the longer haul under s a circumstances 9 and conditions This law was u construed by bythe bythe bythe the supreme court as authorizing the railroads to charge challe more for a shorter shorter I haul than for a longer haul provided provided i this was wa necessary to meet the competition competition tion at A R. mere more distant point Under this this' this I act as M It was wu originally enacted c. and as I I construed by the tho court the business of the country prospered pl red and I Ithe the railroads were permitted penn to engage enlace freely treely In competitive traffic The Uw law has hall since been amended so as U to restrict the right of ot the railroads thus to meet com- com petition As A. an illustration the rail 1 rail rail- railroads roads may not now put In rates from Pacific coast to Atlantic cot coast to meet I the competition of the steamship lines the law as it now stands stand is fa of or mixed mind effect it helps help the steamship lines Unes but it also a most moat seriously injures the rail rail- railroads roads rail rail-I During 1932 revenue tons tona highly competitive oom with rail lines Una moved through the Panama canal translated Into trains the tonnage figure equals trains and would have required men m exclusive of ot thousands of ot me me- mechanical mechanical mechanical men carmen clerks and others I to have moved this volume of traffic over the average mile railroad divi- divi slon afon The plea of o tho railroad is essentially this th If It water wa r transportation I using the Panama canal could take such an Immense volume of ot traffic away from tho the railroads on Its Ita own merits no railroad rail rail- railroad rallI road man would have grounds for com com- cornI comI I I plaint But Dut the actual facts do not cate sate that water transportation docs does not I compete with railroads on o Ita own n mer powerless to ac account ac- ac account account its The railroads are re I fourth mer-I mer sec sec- section of ot the count of ot restrictions that will permit of I tion sec establish rates busl- busl this his competitive participation In as 1 pro pro- proposed proposed proposed It the tho present law is changed posed in the tho bill now before I Interstate commerce com corn commission commission the mission congress will continue to have hB the final word on railroad rates It will wUl continue I Ito word as aa to whether i final to have the there thero is 18 any discrimination against in 1 In- In Interior I of ot the terminal In any tenor shippers I rates proposed by the railways the that in mind It should bo be kept interior dependent upon railroads aro are as I de- de dependent deI dependent dependent interior shippers are shippers as the I pendent upon the tho railroads It Is to the I I self interest of ot the railroads to afford atford the i fullest possible protection to the Interior I I 8 shIppers bout boutin There Is no fairness in a n boxing in one ono of ot the contestants enjoys lull full freedom from the rules while his with handcuffs hand hand- handcuffs I opponent Is forced to fight about his wrists If It restrictions and regulations are to be applied to tho the rail rail- railroads railI railroads I fair that comparable re re- restrictions restrictions restrictions roads it Is 18 s and regulations also be applied I Ito to competitors of or the railroads I Certainly It is in n the Interest of the shipper that the railroads should have havo opportunity to compete com tc fairly for tor all traffic which in the nature of things might be expected to move by rail For this reason renson the western conference com com- committee committee committee of ot the Standard Railroad labor I bOr Organizations is urging your support off of ot the tho Bill II 11 R. R and ask ask- asking asking ing that you urge congress to vote for tor its passage Tho The Park City Kiwanis club voted a n resolution supporting the contention of I Ithe the railroad employees and air mailed same to Congressmen Murdock and end Robi Rob- Robinson i i Inson I |