NO CHANGE IN FREIGHT RATES

On President Coolidge's statements in regard to government control of railroad rates and consolidations, Professor W. J. Cunningham, Professor of Transportation at the University, and Professor W. M. Daniels, Professor of Transportation at Yale, combined in making the following comments:

"The outstanding feature of that part of the President's address which deals with railroads is its recommendation that no change should be made at this time in the new rule of rate making. His attitude will encourage those who believe that the Transportation Act, if given a fair trial under normal conditions, will take care of the situation. He will disappoint those who insist that the rate-making rule, with its affirmative declaration that the railroads are entitled to a fair return on property value, should be repealed.

"Encouraging also is the President's recommendation that the Labor Board should be left as it is unless the public, the employees and the companies can mutually agree upon a more effective plan.

"The feature most likely to attract attention is the proposal that a change should be made in the law relating to railroad consolidations so that voluntary amalgamation may be encouraged and expedited. The President believes that consolidation is the only feasible method for the maintenance of an adequate system of transportation and satisfactory adjustment of freight rates. His proposals merit thoughtful consideration. Yet those who appreciate the magnitude and difficulty of the task may shake their heads when they read that the entire freight rate structure of the country should be reorganized and that such action should be reorganized and that such action should be ordered at once by Congress. Such extensive revision of the entire rate structure will require an enormous amount of study and normally would be the function of the Interstate Commerce Commission.

"However, there is nothing in the message which will give encouragement to the farm bloc in their insistence that freight rates on agricultural products should be further reduced, or to those who advocate confiscation of property by unfair methods of valuation."