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1 fcicning $)ublic fte&ger
' PUBLIC LEDGER COMPANY
ft cmVS II. K CLHT1H, l'ursuiEMT
-John C, Martin, Vice l'realel nt and Trmnursri
Charlea A, Tyler, BecnMaryi Chr H. I.udlni
Hon.. Philip S. Collin. John It. Williams, John J.
purtaon. utorgo r, aoldtmlili, David K. Sinllty,
iirpcitiri.
gAVin B. SMTI.KT
Editor
rt.'lDtW C. MA1ITIX .(lentraj HiialneM Mnnascr
, ( Fubllahrd dally tPKBMOLtiiarai Uulldlnj
Inlprn(lnco Hquate Plill.ulflphln.
ATlUNTto Citi Prni'Vnttn IlullJIne
Nw YoK, . 3R4 .Ma.llMii Air.
DtriciT 701 Ford Hulhllng
FT. Lona ... 013 aiabc-Dtmotrat Tlu'M nie
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tOMDoa Uciuc . ... .Trafalgar Building .
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Kf.YsTOM'.. MAIN 1601
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Philadelphia, Turlcla;, Auuit :, 1M1
. THE WRONG WAY TO DO IT
COUNCILMAN WEGLEIN is wrong
wlicn lie soys that Ills plan to keep tlic
price of ens nt $1 it thousand cubic fort mill
to allow the city to return twelve uiul one
half cents Instead of twenty -live cents of
the price N the hot way out of the present
difficulties.
The plan Is a objectionable a the plan
Which Mayor Moore vctocel. It does not
attack the source of the trouble. It would
be merely u makeshift to help the gas com
pany out of what it calls its limine ial
troubles.
. It could b- used ns the Max or intimated
that the other plan might be used ; to pre
.Tent any solution of the gas problem for u
term of years. Passed in the first plnce for
'one year, it could be i enow eel from car to
Tear so long ns it seemed politic-nib or com
mercially expedient.
There is onlj one way to go about the
business and that 1" the way outlined by
the Mayor in bis veto message. The city
.owns the gas works. They are worth at
least J'JS.OOO.OIH). The people hne this
sum invested in them The properly can
not be protected for the next few years, or
developed to such an extent ax to meet
the growing demand for gas, without nn
'early consideration of the teims of the ex
isting lease and the conditions under which
a new lease is to be negotiated.
The experts of the (.ins Commission rec-
emmend the immediate consideration of the
.'whole question as tfr iij out both for the
city and the gas company. The official ot
the gas company admit thai the commission
,i right. The Mayor insists thnt it is right.
Council is the only obstacle in the way.
If its members linve nn politlecl ambition
they will recall whnt happened to the poli
ticians when they trlxl to sere some other
interests than the people in tegard to gas
many years ago.
THE SKY FIGHTERS
IMPItKSSIVK nnd beautiful was the dein
onstration provided over the eirj jester
day by nlr scpindrons iinder the command
of General Mitchell. A great wnr game hn
been in progress for weeks n'ntig the coast.
and the airmen bad it all their own way
yesterday.
Had thev more cloe simulated condi
tions of actual wnrfaie they would have
Jcept nt n far greater height and they would
have been utmost invisible. In the forma
tion adopted by the airmen the plane would
have been perfect targets for anti-Hircraft
shrapnel. Flying Ui. however. the con
Veyrd to the people in the street some notion
bf the newer warfare. One bomb of the sort
rjwhlch the bigger machines carry dropped in
the street of a modern American city would
"do incalculable havoc.
, Bombing machines of the future will move
in the midst of protective npiadions of fight
ing planes. That they will do unimnginable
damage if there should be another great war
Is plain. For there is an Increasing tend
ency among military strategists no longer
'to consider undefended cities and civil popu
lation Immune from attack in war.
' Since war has become a business so
elaborntc that fit.) per cent of the working
population behind the lines contribute their
best efforts to it, all people in the embattled
nations of tomorrow, no matter how far
they may be behind the lines, doubtless will
be listed ns combntants.
Demonstrations like thnt made under
General Mitchell's direction aie educational.
Anti-aircraft guns and pursuit plane might
destroy n bombing machine or scatter a
bombing squadron. Hut the enemy would
not care grently if. before it fell, the bomber
managed to deliver it load of high ex
plosive In the streets The machines that
sailed over the city yeierd.iy could carry
enough aiumuiiluon to Inuo large sections
of a city in ashes within a few hours
S :
FOOLISH "CONCENTRATION"
AKKACTION against the multiplication
of Cnblnet offices is discernible in iho
report thot Walter F. Iirown. chairman of
the Congressional Committee on Kcorrfnui
ration, is preparing to recommend the con
solidation of the War and Navy Depart
ments. Ily such nn arrangement the crea
tion of the Department of Public Welfare
would leave the total of Cnblnet positions
precisely what it is now. That any tiling
more than this would be gained by the mer
ger is Inconceivable.
vThe unwieldines of a combined military
and naval department In i nine manifest
more than a century ago Henry Kno was
the departmental head of both brunches of
the service in 1780. Hut no sooner was the
navy revived in consequence of the brief v-a
wnr with France about a dec tide Inlei than
the necessity of creating a in w olhce was
realized. Appointed by John Ailums. Hen
Jamin Stoddert became the first Secretary
of the Navy In 170S.
The fusion of the two great departments
at this late day In a fool idea. If the De
partment of Public Welfare is worth con
structing it should be allowed to stand on its
own merits, regardless of other "conccntra
tlou" proposals.
.( CENTENARIES AND PUNCTUALITY
, IXIT'1 the President In attendance, and
'j ' with the cureful restoration lu pageantry
,, of the originnl scenes amidst which New
Englaiid was born quaint old Plymouth
Impressively recognizes its dtstliicthe con
tribution to the Nation's history.
In nl respects save one the celebration
is signally lilting nml appropriate. It can
not be. reconciled with considerations of the
calendar. It is of iccoid thnt the Pilgrim
Immigrant landed on the shores of Plymouth
. iinon December L'L'. 1 (I'M. December tclini,
K, fi ',(' tbe. authority of Mrs. Heumns ami
tf ;v " hSAhers. rnnilitloim nlong this rutted coirat
I.!lwA liltivHttni hllf emu-it lu lmfjlt ,, .. .,
K I''Wilu )lmiv fdr n festival (lion.
s n no n 'the exact exnlrntlon of the
were, indeed, held last winter, but
W '
the main observance wns reserved for this
summer. Possibly if nil. the preparations
easily could have been made last year the
dovetailing of dates with the major spec
tacle might have been more satisfying.
With no disposition to reflect Invidiously
upon our New F.ugland friends, who Imitated
the managements of the Chicago and St.
Louis fairs lu being a bit behind time, it is
well for Philadelpbiatis to note what hn
happened. It would be exceedingly regret
table were the ollkial celebration of ir0
year of American Independence to fall back
of the correct schedule.
The temptation to be dilatory is some
times dlillctill to resist. Hut Philadelphia
in this Instance at least should rise superior
to such precedents. The first centennial
exposition commemorated n century with
commendable punctuality. The obligation to
be on time for the next nnnlvcrsary is press
ing. The excrcUex In New England are not
an excuse, but n warning.
THE DISPUTED ELECTIONS
ON THE PENNSYLVANIA
The Railroad Labor Board Decides the
Committees Were Not Chosen
According to Law
TIIK explanation of the order of the Hall
road Labor Hoard invalidating the elec
tion of employes' committees on the Penn
sylvania Hailroad System is contained In the
Ksch-Cuinminx law.
The second section of that part of the
law dealing with disputes between employ
ers nnd employe provide that "Hailroad
Hoard of Labor Adjustment may be estab
lished by agreement between any carrier,
group of carrier or the carriers ns n whole
and any employes or subordinate officials of
currier or organizations or groups of or
ganisations thereof."
The word to stress In this provision Is
"agreement." The committees elected by
the employes ()f the Pennsylvania System
were to constitute the Hailroad Hoard of
Labor Adjustment.
The officials of the system sent out ballots
containing the names of candidates to serve
on the committees, These nnmes were se
lected without rcfeience to their labor
affiliations It 1 understood that the mem
ber of the labor union wished to have rep-
re .curatives on the committees who should
be there as union men. When they failed to
carry their point the union men refused to
vote in the election nnd it went by default
to the men on the ticket sent out by the
railroad officials. The union employes pro
tested. It became evident at once thnt there bad
not been "agieement" in forming the com
mittee. cpeeinlly as the committees were
supposed to represent nil the employe. The
l.nbor Hoard lias ordingly ordered that
on or before August 10 there shall be a con
ference between the repiesentatives of the
rond on the one hand and on the other
hnnd representative of any labor organi
zation or organizations whose member are
employed on the system, together with any
otiier representatives f the men with the
signed authorization of KM) unorganized
employes. This conference s to determine
the method of holding a new ch-i Hon.
There i thus afforded an opportunity to
find out whether the law will work. lis
piovisiuiis ate intended to mark out the way
for conciliating conllicting interests. The
real coiillict i over the relation of the labor
unions with the emplovcr
The Pennsvlvanin officials sought to ar
range for committee composed entirely of
their employes, regardless of their union
affiliations. The union employes desire to be
free to se!"ct their representative in nego
tiatioti from the membership of the unions,
regardless of the place where the members
are employed That is. they desire to have
the unions recognized as unions.
Under such a plan it might occur that an
employe of the (ireat Northern Hailroad
would icpresent the employes of the Penn
sylvania sv.stetn in negotiations fixing the
rate of wages and condition of work on the
Pennsylvania: or nn official of the union
whose duties were sti, h that he wa not in
nny tailrond employment might be selected
to do the negotiating
When it is recalled that there aie between
fifteen and thirty different unions of inil
rond employes, the difficulties in the way of
adjusting the wishes of the unions tec the
clisi.es of the Pennsylvania officials will be
appaient
A stiong case can be made for the con
tention of the railroad compnuy thnt it
should not be compelled to deal with per
sons who aie not its employes in settling
the conditions of employment. It is a case
which r.earlv every employer will admit
without argument.
The labor union have maintained thnt
such an arrangement would weaken their
organizations. If not destroy them. They in
sist on the solidarity of interest of all rail
road employes nnd on the right of those
employes to select us their spokesmen whom
ever they will, just us a man going Into
court may select his lawyer.
Under the circumstances there can be no
settlement without some kind of compro
mise. The public is not deeply interested in
the derail of the disagreement, but It is
intenseh interested in the efficient manage
ment ccf the railroads and m their operation
without Interruption by a labor dispute.
PARK VANDALISM
IT IS being contended in koine quarters
that arrest and tines such ns are being
imposed on people who deliberately litter
the lawns of Fnirmount Pnrk are loo severe
punishment "for a small offense." Hut is
the offense in question a small one?
The puzzling thing about the class of
offenders with which the Park police huve
to deal is their state of mind. Most of tiieni
are relatively new to the country "This
is u public place," they say. "It is the
property of the people and we a part of
the people Since It Is our ground. u have
n perfect light to do what we will with It,
and no one has a right tec tell us to do other
wise. If we w'atil to damage the trees and
the grass, who shall -top us? Haven't peo
pie a right to clo any'hlng they please to do
with what belongs to them 7"
Manv of the beautiful parks In New York
were damaged ijndlj nnd made uninviting to
the general public before a rigoious program
of prosecution gave the alien who use them
a new set of opinions relative to the care of
public property.
No great park in the world is more lib
eially ndrninlbtcrcd than Uinrmoiini The
restriction imposed by the Commission re
slight, and they ure drawn generally in the
general mteiest In Europe many of the
parks are fenced in and dosed at nightfall
Anv one who walked on the glass .of a
public park In (ieriuany would be thrown
into jail. Here we huve a great recreation
place that is freer thun the country fields.
And those who do not nppieeiuto it ought
to be taught to do so even if thev have t
go to jail to learn a basic rule of common
decency .
THE UPTOWN PORT
A
S ORIGINALLY plunnecl. the "Girurd
Gioup" of piers embraced In the pio-
gram to provide on a
large scale coiupre-
hensive terminal facilities
for steamships
anchoring north uf .Market street, was of
prime importance to the development of the
port of Philadelphia.
Since the first design) were made the
Interstate bridge project has taken in
splringly tnngible shape. The Girurd Group
Hiiemi! bhouM lit admirubly Into I lie great
EVENING PUBLIC LEDGER PHILADELPHIA, TUESDAY, AUGUST 2,
changes promised for that part of the
harbor. Passenger vessels l'n particular will
be well served by .mooring in proximity to
the physical link connecting two great States
and their transportation routes.
The call by the Department of Public
Works for the first work the building of a
bulkhead shed in connection with the new
Glrnrd Pieis Is a refreshing index of 'the
impending transformation of thu river front.
If ii suitable rate of progress Is maintained,
virtually a new hurbor will be created north
of Market street.
The best that can be wished lu this regard
for Phlladelphlans is thnt they will be
unable in WM to tecognize the undeveloped
port of HUM.
CARUSO
rpHIC adulation which has been the portion
-L of nearly all great tenors falls to cover
the unique position won by Knrlco Cnrti60
before his world-wide public. Recognition
of his extraordinary vocal equipment wns
unqualified, but lit addition to this, nnd
especially in America, his second home, his
ever boyish nnd unaffected personality won
the tribute of genuine friendship and sym
pathy. It has never been said of Caruso that he
was In the lenst degree menn-spirlted yr
small in Ills relations to fellow artists. Prob
ably no tenor in the operatic chronicle ever
attained so high nn overture of punctuality.
The occasions on which Knrlco Caruso
pleaded "sudden Indisposition" ns nn
excuse for uon-nppettrance bnve seldom been
lecorded.
Ill repertoire in the French nnd Itnllnn
schools nvns enormous nnd he wns equally
at home In the modern melodrninntlcs of
Lcoucnvnllo ns in the chaste nnd elegant
classicism of Gluck. Although tempera
mentally jolly ii ml seemingly unconcerned
with the weight of his arduous labors, the
adored Neapolitan was always a hard
working, conscientious a i list.
In his time the magic of bis song was
unmatched The entire world mourns n loss
of nn engaging character and of n voice
such as is produced only in rare generations.
THE HOPE OF THE WORLD
vyiiii.i
VV pi,,
I11I.K Presiduii H.inliug, talking at
mouth. Mass. icsii-rdny, vii ex
pressing the hc'icf thai Hi- international
conference; for dKuinain -ii t will carry the
world nearer to pc-in uient peace, Honoml,
the Italian Piemiir. was announcing that
Italy "heartily accepted" the invitation to
participate. Mobs demonstrating against
militarism weie being cut down by the
police in the street of Tokio. And the
signs were plentiful to indlcnte waning
courage and waning strength in the jingoes
wiio of late have been hoping to get full
control of Europe.
Mr. Harding inav well hope for some
successful outcome of the conference. The
world hope w ith hint. What is more, it
expects nnd it demands. The wle Govern
ments are those which realize fully the ex
tent of the responsibilities nnd the oppor
tunities that will confront them nt Wnsb
lngton. The President was tactful in his refer
ences to the purpose of the conference, but
he was nt the same time shrewd. What he
said was for nil people everywhere to read.
He virtually said to the people of the Old
World thnt a way I open to world peace and
that the Government which does not take it
is the Government which ha reason of its
own for preferring war.
URBAN JUNGLES
" A " ''"' Blil"s shnil glow in the streets
a. of the Northern cities I" cried Jeffer
son Davis in a moment of Southron fervor.
There have been wilder prophecies than that
one.
Dr. Furbush warn householders against
permitting the growth of nosious weeds, tall
grasses and rank plants beyond the height
of more than a foot The nuisance in un
occupied dwelling grounds, nnd especlallv in
vacant lots, vvli.'ie the unturned vegetation
I sometimes almost jungly, is undoubtedly
conducive to linv fever, which bedevils its
unfortunate annual victims fiom about the
opening ccf August to October. The rag
weed, which grows nil too abundantly, is
one of the worst offenders and affords also
a refuge for mosquitoes.
The Department of Public Health is wise
in inaugurating a vigorous campaign
against disease-breeding weed and grasses.
Hut the survey of metropolitan conditions,
in which the Police Department will share,
should met confine itself merely to lots anil
neglected back yard.
Wherever the sidewalks ate equipped
with the old-fashioned brh k pavement, in
indifferent repair, summer weeds ore ex
tremely likely to rush up through the inter
stices Especially in the side streets in the
neighborhood of Hittenhnuc Square, from
whence a considerable part of the residential
population flees In summer, docs Davis'
forecast assume a dreary and pestiferous
tealltv
There is scant excuse for irbnn scenes of
this depiessing nnd insnnltnrv nature.
THE END?
ourse of the Soviet experiment in
THE cou
Hussia
lias been such in recent months
as to promlbe something terrible nnd un
expected in the way ccf a closing denoue
ment. Hut since ordlnnrv observers are
without the imagination of a Poe. cum nt
tidings from the Soviet strongholds come
with suggestions of unlooked for tragedy.
At Moscow, it appears, new divisions of
shock troops are jielng hurriedly formed.
Only the best soldiers are chosen for these
units, Htid thev arc being heavily armed.
Aud whnt lire these shock troops for? Not
to light Poland rhis time anil not to put
clown revolution, but "to piotect Moscow
ami Petrograd against the hordes of starving
Hussinns who are advancing in a delirium
of hunger from the famine districts."
It Is unfair to blame the Soviets wholly
for the present famine in Hussia. Laige
areas of the oountrv have been blighted by
an almosr unexampled drought Crop have
fulled There has been no lain Seeds have
withered in Hie ground Hur rhe famine
region are hu' a small parr of Hussia.
Under norrnul condition it Is probabls that
the Russians would be able to take care of
each other without nsking help of the out
side world Hut agricultural production has
been at low ebb everywhere in the country
nnd the railway system has broken down.
The shallow of acute famine will for n time
hide the Soviets and all their errors, anil
when it passes ninl rhe world looks again
rhe Soviets iii'ecbubh will have vanished.
Monev is e heuper : bonds are advanc
ing, the latlroads tin employing mine men
crops aie abundant; a Chumher eef Com
merce committee says we aie getting out of
the woods rapidly, and the price' of candy has
coine clown Hi) per cent Three e been, ; On ti.e
other hand the chief of the Hurenu of I.egrl
Aid say there 1 an exceptionally hard
winter abeael of the poor nnel furnishes
proof. So suppose) we don't bother with
adding the tiger
One can eio no more than guess at wlial
will come out ccf tin- House' Ways and Mean
Committee in the way of a tax levision bill,
but one thing i sure: Though nobody will
bo sonv to sav gooelby to the excess profits
tnx homebody will be bound lo pick holej
lu Its substitute.
Now let some epic poet tell us in
Volsteadian numbers how the President eio
he reached the rock-hound coast of Massa
chusetts had to pass the rye-bond, that L
to say, bound, coast of 'New Jersey,
PREPARE FOR WINTER
r
Legal Aid Bureau Chief Says the City
Should Get Ready The CotAitry
Insurance Men Meet Direc
tor Caven and the Street
Cleaning
Ily GKOHGE NOX McCAIN
ROMA1N C. IIASSIUCK Is chief of the
Htircau of Legal Aid in the Department
of Public Welfare.
It Is his business ns legal counsel to keep
thoroughly Informed upon conditions which
compel the Indigent, unfortunate nnd worthy
poor to seek ndvlec from the bureau's at
torneys. He tells me thnt his department Is looking
forward with great apprehension to condi
tions that are almost certain to occur the
comjng winter In Philadelphia.
Without qualification he expresses the
belief thnt tlic city will experience one of
the most trying winters It hns known in
many years.
That Is so far ns the unemployed nnd
poor nre concerned.
Identically the snme outlook is visloncd
in nn interview by Commander Evangeline
Hootb. head of 'the Salvation Army In the
United States, for Nsw York City.
Whatever degree of suite Ing is applicable
to Philadelphia and New York may be
prophoslcd with reasonable assurance for
every other great center of population in the
country.
Tyrit. IlASSItlCK says thnt unless there
aV-L Is nn upward turn for the better before
fall, particularly xvlth regard to unemploy
ment and through lack of ndcqtiatc housing
for the poor, the authorities will he com
pelled to make arrangements for meeting
this condition.
"The grentest problem to be solved." he
said, "will be that of providing homes for
the hundreds of families who, because of
unemployment, nre unable to pay rent.
"The rapidly Increasing number of cases
of eviction and landlord and tennnt troubles
that are coming to our attention now Is
Indicative of a multiplication of similar
enscsjiitcr." says Mr. Hassrick.
"Unemployment, high rents, high cost of
fuel nnd -the continued maintenance of nl
most war-time price for food nnd other
necessities will cntnil Its consequences In
Philadelphia this winter.
"It will he nn error to delay action until
th". crisis comes. The authorities should
begin nt once to make preparations to meet
tills emergency. Evicted tennnfs ennnot live
in the street. Women nnd children must
not be permitted to suffer.
"The city should nt once begin to cnt
around for large buildings nnd vacant prop
erties in which to provide shelter for these
unfortunates," declared Mr. Hassrick.
jXTILLIONS of dollars were capering
aVI around the campus of Ursinus College
out at Collegevillc last week.
Not literally and in the visible emboeli
ment of gold nnd greenbacks, of course, but
in the representative personality of men
who contiol these huge sums.
The Pennsylvania State Association of
Mutual Fire Insurance Companies wns In
session for three clays. It was their four
teenth annual gathering.
Every corner of the State was represented.
E. A. Hempstead was theie from Mcutl
xille, in flio fnr West. George F. Snubel,
from York, represented the South; H. L,
Wilmnrth, from New Milford. wns there
from the North, while H. Wltninn Dnmbley,
of Skippack : Arthur M. Euxtbuni. of
Doyiestown. and a score of other lawyers,
bankers and insurance men represented' the
East.
They are the big men of the "country"
mutual insurance companies.
THEHE hns been an almost phenomenal
growth of this class of Insurance asso
ciation in the last fifteen years.
The majority of them have outgrown their
swaddling clothes: the days xvhen 100 or
so fnrmei got together and organized a
dinkey little company to protect themselves
against fir and storm
Great city insurance corporations have.
ns a rule, until recent years, fought shy'
of country risks.
The measure of protection against flic
was too low, aud this fact held premiums
nl top notch. And they were not to blame,
cither.
Theie is scarcely a county in the State
now that has not a mutual fire insurance
company. Some have three or four.
And you rarelv, if ever, hear of one of
these companies falling. Their expenses are
infinitesimal They maintain no costly
office. There nie nn high -salaried officials'.
The held- ccf these mutual country com
panies are known personally to seven-tenths
of their members, usually.
At the out stut t these officials may not
be expert accountants or liie adjusters
Thev are keen judge, however, of the value
of farm property. That In itself is their
biggest asset.
They carry no pretentious surplus. They
can usually be expresse-d In five figuies. null
that is the amount left on hand from the
latest assessment.
These country insurance men, like Hon.
A. I). Fctterolf, of Collegevillc ; Hon John
A. Lnndls. of Millersville; Hon. H. (
I.nntz, of Lebanon, and Hon. L. P (',,
Fegley. of Hoyertown. hove had political
and legislative experience.
As a matter of fact, men like these ate
a big asset to these mutual associations.
They are of the country, by the country
nnd for the country exclusively.
DIRECT!
Depnrti
)R PRANK II. CAVEN. of the
xnnccci ideas on me suiijecr ot street clean
ing and rubbish collection.
Ills plnns for the erection of destiuetones
for the ordorless cremation of street and
household refuse is evidence of this fact
This is the cTectrio age the "Johnny -on-the-spot"
era of efficiency.
It Is the period when elliciencv engtueeis
flourish and by pioduct are the creatoi
of greater wealth than the original article
of production
Notwithstanding this the experimental
conclusion of the Dueetor nnel his force of
engineers is that it is greater econoinv to
speiul something like SsOO.OOO for trucks,
wagous anil horses with which to start u
city-wide street -cleaning program than to
put the same amount of monev Into costly
gasoline trucks, dump earts and auto ma'
chinery .
A tiemeiidoiis upkeep is the principal
argument against tnotoi vehicles in sticcl
cleaning
With the construction of ilestruclories
long hauls necessitated by f.u -distant dumps
will he eliminated. A team of horses for
short hauls is nie tonomleal than the
electric vehicle
At leilt at the piesi-nt stage of cleveleqi
inent In street cleaning
About MOO hores nie reepiiieii to keep
the city streets clean This includes teams
for the collection of luhblsli and garbage.
These horses are u'd to move twentx -one
flushets, fifty -seven trucks. f1f wagon,
100 machine brooms and fifty sniinkleis
If the Department of Public Works went
Into the auto nh-ciitlectlou si heme over
100(1 niotnr-drivcn vehicles woulil be ic
ipilicd to keep the ell i lean.
Unc'e Sam is going lo do what In- can
lei pioteet American holdeis of Austrian or
Jluneu Ian c urri-ncv bonds or securities
In the absence of laimbli' assets the patieneej
the job will demand of Uncle Sam won't be
a inaiker on the p.ifienee ileinaiiiled from the
creditors.
Opposition to tin Aduilnisiiatinii bill
giving the Secieliiiv of the Tie.iHiirv n fjee
hand in the' fi.tuliii't of the allied debt will
at least give the public nt laigi' a e liurice
to undeistand what It h all about.
Germany Is having little tumble in
borrowing monev to start her In paying her
debts. The payer will work hard, will be
thrifty anil wux prosperous, while the payee,
If not careful, mny bo careless and lose hi
substance.
HAVE
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NOW MY IDEA IS THIS
Daily Talks Willi Thinking Philadolphians on Subjects They
Know Best
GEORGE P. WILSON'
On Differential Rate Question
REMOVAL of u handicap that has cost
Philadelphia shippers hundreds of
thousnnds of dollars and n process of ml -jus'incnt
that will a nearly as possible fix
shipping relationships between cities ami
regulate differentials to conform with the
law is seen by George P. Wilson, commis
sioner of transportation of the Chamber of
Commerce This conies a the climax of
years of development on the whole' question
of adjusting the whole question of rate dlf
fetentlals. "A differential," explains Mr. Wilson,
"is the measure of the difference in rates
between one point and another and Is based
orr the preference due one point over another
by virtue of distance or geographical posi
tion. Thus Philadelphia, being nearer many
points south and west, should enjoy nn ad
vantage In rate's over New York or Hoton,
just ns these cities will enjoy a similar ad
vantage Icy being closer to points north or
cast.
Not Case of "Favored City"
"The dilTercntial did not stall on the
theory that one city should be fawned over
another by n certain number of cents in
rate, but it did find n meiisuie of difference
between one city and another in advantages
of position, which for practical reasons and
in the interest of fair play it was necessary
to lewnril by preferential lutes.
"The differential is not thought of in
rerin of fixed rales, bur ab lo what rate
of change between two cities will constitute
a fair principle.
"Tec throw light on rhe differential ques
tion it would probably be well to have a
little baikgrounel show lug the steps that led
up to the picscut situation.
"Prior lo rlie adoption of the Interstate
Commerce Act. which became effective No
vember 1, 18S7. railroads elld business on n
bBsis which, while perfectly pioper among
miinufnciurers and business men, could
fairly apply ro carriers because of the public
character of their business.
"They then worked on ihe basis, long
since recognized irr business, of giving its
best rales and service in preferred cus
tomers In applying this principle in rail
roads the large concei n grew still larger
and the small one was continwic kept fiom
getting larger.
How Comiietitioii YVoihs
"It encouraged monopoly. While this
principle' might be all light in other husi
ncsscs. iiiilroaels as elistributois weie placci)
ethically under the obligation of being iiimi
t ra I Othei wise- they lire in danger of be
coming autocratic.
"If in eonipelitioii between two business
concerns the oilier fellow, bv reason of a
superior aggregation of capital ami brains,
inn get business from the other fellow. In
is entitled to the reward which he gets.
This is an accepted principle ot business.
Hut if he gets an advantage thieciigh a ells
ciiuiinatory railroad rate, then he is un
fairly eleolt with.
"Ik-fore 1887 the railroads didn't publish
tariffs as they arc now icqulicd Tliev
epioted rates on application, but that was
all. The Interstate Commerce Act changed
lluit. It also stopped the practice of giving
low it rates to lingo shippers rhaii to others,
which was ruled as unjust iliscriiuiiiatlon.
"Unfortunately, the Act of ISsT was not
stiong. It contained no penal clauses. Pro.
hibltiou of discriminatory rates louhl not
lie enforced
"When Roosevelt became Preside nl the
llepbuiii aiiii'iiduient to this act became a
law. This made it a penal unense tor the
railroads to give or the shipper to accept
pieleiieel lute's, each party being held
equally guilty.
Early Mistakes Remedied
"This cleared the nimosplirie ,,f curlier
condition and inuele for reasonable correc
tion. Provision was made for apiicut to the
Interstate Commerce Commission for relief,
if the nineniliiient happened for one reason
or another to put an unjust burden on cer
tain iioluls mid an investigation would be
in older. The commission could then adjust
these cllffeieuces: or in ihe event thnr they
did not, an appeul could be inaele to the Fcef
eiul eeiuris and then up to (he Supreme
Court.
"The rallioiid companies made rheliovvn
rates, both before and after the act became
effective. They were tiled thlity d.ivs hef ire
with the commission giving the public notice
of the chances proposed, so thnt niicinrtm.ii..
L would he afforded to point out to the cgm-
1921
NOT YET BEGUN TO
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mission rhe effect which these changes would
have on business.
"Under the provisions of the act a rail
road cannot charge n higher rate to a nenrby
point than to a distant point, it being a
violation of Section ! of the act. This bus
been done orr the basis qf giving preference
to communities on the ground of greater
volume of business or competition with
another line.
"Distance is an important factor 'in
making rates. The theory of railroad serv
ice Is that the greater the distance the
greater the service, and. therefore, the
greater the charge. Hut for other reasons
this was not nlvvuys carried out.
"The principal factor In the making of
all freight rates is the distance modified by
the piefeientiul location of communities nnel
competition.
Cnn't Have Same Kate
"In some cases we have cities occupying
a strategic position, where they are about
the same distance from one important city
to another Perhaps they do business with
different lailronds, and yet business men In
each of the other cities jjrc competitors for
this city's trade. If one city hns more ad
vantages in situation than another in the
same market, the best location should get
the lowest rate.
"If we tried to get nlong without the dif
ferential rate and applied the 'postage-stamp
theory,' we would find tliut It is utterly Im
possible to hove the same rute from the same
city to any other city. The rate then would
be low enough for any other city to com
pere with tliut city, with the results that the
lallrimils couldn't handle the business. Not
only would there be a congestion of traffic lit
some points that would become bevoud con
trol, but there would be great losbes at some
points that would work on unfair advantage
to the points that made profits. If, as in
tin: postal service, the Government owned all
brunches of the service and there were no
competition. It might then be possible to
equalize these conditions.
"In my judgment, the only time thnt the
law of averages is ever fair is when the
same conditions are handled bv the same
party Even though you hud Federal con
tro , the volume of business nt some points
and the discrepancies of loss and gain would
be .such ns to make such u practice im
practical. What Kate Wur.s Did
"Then we naturally came to the expedient
of the diftiTcntlal. This came n. put in
1.S8I). when ufler a series of quurrels und
rale wars between this citv ami New York
the contending railroads tlnallv agreed til
recogiiie a fixed differential between Phlln
delphlu and points west of six cents for
freight of the first and second classes and
two cents for freight of the thl.d, fourth,
fifth ami sixth classes.
"Urorn that time on New Yoik ami Phila
delphia have made iccognitinn of these fig.
tires as the proper differential between .these
vvo cities. I hut differential still exists, and
there is no dispute.
"Hut now we huve come to the questions
of dispute between Northern points and
points South. To understand this we must
remember (bur or one time there was active
water cciiupititlou on the Mississippi Rlw-r
e had he hi River feeling Into i,e
Mississippi This resulted in combination
rates to some, point, Uud through rates to
others, all of which were different. The,,
through lilted based on combination lates
weie established to some points which were
higher than original straight rates to others
and uiuiiv of these we're hosed ecu what th
commission chiiracterl.eil as 'potential' com
petition som-
"This biought matters to t. point where
the Interstate Commerce Commission ee
hied to force an adjustment v,heh would
make for an observao if ti. i X..
I.M.I i ..i. II..., .. "" '"". "'iicn
...... ..,, . . nirKiiiii Ufl'M'
ai'lemels then all "lileel petitions request! tig
l hut Hi.', he allowed to continue these v o -lions
of the law until thev hml ti. ........
ect .hem T,Ih gave Phiadelpl.lu chi.ee
o enter the light nnd co,.tcn.r for eliff.. . ,'
litis wl.h I. she hud never before c.,j,.v,'d , ,
lo which she wns entitled. ' '
liter CoiniKtlthiii Considered
lu ligiulng diffeientlals on ihe basis of
ndv, Ullages, it must not be forgem,.,, ,1...
Ihe commission also takes account of dm,. .
nice ol water competition and ceiiuln ills
advantages by leason of the water Hies
being slower and breaks in the ht r thei
truiisfcirlug of the shipments from one , ,i
ol .currier to another...
m mi; lucivr oi tiiuo docjs not weigh
FIGHT!'
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ns heavily as it did, becuusu improvement in
water transportation has resulted In a
quickening of this kind of transportation.
So the difference is not so great as formerly,
"So there Is a degree of adjustment to
be made between nil-rail and water-and-rll
business. While not so great as it wan,
there is n recognition of the justice of a
differential rate.
"A scries of conferences has been held
recently and still is in progress whereby the
railroads and shippers of all points North
nnd South, in addition to some points Wen,
arc trying to adjust their differences.
"Thus It has been ngreed thnt there shall
be a differential between New York and
Hnltlmorc of twelve cents in favor of Balti
more, with Philadelphia, by virtue of her
hnlf-wuy position, enjoying a six-cent dif
ferential. "The value of this in dollars and cents
might be appreciated when It is recognized
.thnt it means nbout $1.-0 n ton on high-
grade shipments nnd down to sixty cents n
ton on the lower classes, with tho bulk of
the traffic to the South being in the higher
grade. This means hundreds of thousand"
of dollars to the shippers of this city and
nenrby points in thnt zone.
"It looks nH if Philadelphia will at lat
get the recognition thnt she has fought to
hard for, and thnt the ultimate outcome will
be n fnir settlement of relationships between
the different cities."
SHORT1 CUTS
Milesian and Silesian arguments mako
n bulky MS.
The bombing planes came, saw and left
the Navy Yard cold.
Happily yesterday's dogs of war didn't
even let their guns bnrk.
Northcllffe Is now probably convincel
that his Steed needs n bit.
It is n "No-Cause-for-Alarm Clock"
that Is getting Duslncss out of bed.
It wns probably somebody other than a
corset manufacturer who snld that figure
don't lie.
Con it bo thnt every woman's political
party is to be divided between dinner belle
and door belles?
The disarmament conference mny )tt
take for its motto, "The League Is dead:
long live the Leoguc."
Theie Is cause for thankfulness In the
foct that August blew In on a cooler broe
than any July knew.
"My. my," sold Father Pcnn ns tbe
planes bombarded him. "this must be nn
orher free silver campaign sixteen to one.
1
What Do You Know?
QUIZ
What large river Hows Into San Fran
cisco Bay''
Who served us Amerlcnn Anilmssndor to
Great Britain during the Wilson ad
ministrations? Name u hook of the Blbo In which most
of Ihe scenes are laid In Babylon
Who wns Ingres'.'
In what year was Julius Caesar nssasil
nnteil? What Is meant by the "zelluolst"?
What Is a. xvherryV
What Is usquebaugh''
What Is meant by riparian rights?
What are Fabian tncrlcs?
Answers to Yesterday's Quiz
l Ucorge linlstlun Is i'reslelent llsirding'i
pilvare secretury
L' The dramatic unities, Aristotle's rules for
rragedy, are "one catastrophe one
locality, one day "
S Tnbln salt Is another name for sodium
chloride.
4. The Commonwealth of Australia consists
of six States New South AVoles, Ic
tor la, Queensland. South Auslrnlln.
Western Australia and Tasmania
D. Hurry U. King of France, was killed In
a tournament In 1BB9 .
C Claude T)ual wn.s u nolorlous Frencn
lilghwaymon, executed In Tyburn Lon
don. in 1U70. Ills adventures form tn'
subject of u number of novels ana
ballads
7 "Vamoose,' or 'vamose Is a condition
of tho Spanish viiruos." "let us go.
S I'ope Leo X gave lo Henry VIII of UnK'
land tho title Defender of Ihe Faith
because of n Latin treatise;, "On lire
Six. en Sacraments," which tho Kin
wrote unci published n IDL'l '
U Tbe riamn ketchup Is snld to be derived
from the Chinese 'koe-clliap," brine ol
pickled fish ,
10. Sumptuary laws regulate (be hnMtf ,
mo peopio aim are especially re g no
tary of tho nrlvnte expenditure of tM
citizens ot a CommunUy,
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