RESOLUTION BY THE CREDo Kenova Chamber of CoMMEROE Wherens the Ceredo-Kenova Chamber of Commerce recognizes the raitronds' valne to the community as taxpayers and employers; and Whereas the railroads are important to the industrial and econorical growth; Whereas two bil's, S. 1061 in the US. Senate, ar! HR. 4700 in the House of Representatives, were recently introduced which would give the railreads the right to lower prices by reducing rates, benefits the consumer and the con munity as a whole: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Ceredo-Kenova Chamber of Commerce, Tl at imu ediate action whould be taken by the Con,re ́s to en, et 8. 1061 and HR 4700 into law, Iasmuch as the conference method of ratemaking is necessary to protect the shippers and localities, immediate Le'len should be taken by the Congress to amend the on′′ rementioned bills as to retain section 3a of the Interstate Com merce Act; be it further Pesolved. That copies of this resolution are to be forwarded in medistely to Menator Jentings Rát dolph, Senator Robert Byrd, and to Representative Ken Hechler and to Senator Warren G-Magnuson, cha.rmen of the Serpte Com nerce Committee, and to Representative Oren Harris, chairman of the House Inter****e and Foreign Commerce Committee. Resolution passed by the Ceredo Kenova Chamber of Commerce this 14th day of May 1963 HoB OREN HARRIS, GIFN FOGLE, President. HOME MANUFACTURERS. ASSOCIATION, May 31, 1963. House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Comme, ve, Ver House Office Building, Washington, DC. DEAR Congressman Harris; On behalf of the Home Manufacturers Associa Tier 1 am writing you in support of IR 4700, the so-called minimum rate bill, and I ask that this letter be included in the record, made before your committee in its consideration of this bill As you know, the bill is designed to repeal mammum rate regulation by the Interstate Commerce Commission on agricultur,' and bulk eommodities, while maintaining safeguards against Viola'ions of fe and trust laws and the existing protection against unjust discrifuination ard undue preferences and prejudices Our association represents a growing industry which is quite conscious of the cost of transportation Consequently, we support legislation which will result in lower, more realistic freight charges, while at the same time preserving the iletal grty of the transportation industry. In order to reduce the custs of transportation many industries have gone to private carriage Ulti mately, if the trend e ntinues, this can be ruinous to the for hire carriers of this country. As #acters now stand, the bulk commodity exemption of the birgelines and the agricultural exemption of the trucks give these carriers an unfair economie advantage over the fully regulated railroads. We believe the effect of this sitmation has been to result in an artificially high level of roflro dire 'es In fact it pro'ably has resulted in artificially high levels of rates affect ng all modes of transportation, since the regulated railroad rates constitute an umbrella over the rate levels of other modes. This association strongly suports the policy of the admistret, in fit the way to a more modern, economical choice of national transportation service is throngh increased competition and decreased regulation. We believe t! it only in this way can the several modes of transportation compete for trathe for which their equipment, service and cost characteristics are best ad ipted In conclusion, we respectfully ask the committee to favorably report the bill and that the bill be enacted into law at this session of the Cot gres Respectfully submitted. 20-516-63-pt. 2—34 JAMES L PYASY, Jr. President STATESVILLE FLOUR MILLS Co... Hon. OREN HARRIS, DEAR CONGRESSMAN HARRIS: Our company, which is a medium-size proturer of flour and feed, wishes to go on record as being wholeheartedly in favor d H.R. 4700, the minimum rate bill. We request that this letter be made a jur of the record before the committee and ask that H.R. 4700 be reported favorably and promptly enacted into law. We understand representations have been made by certain members of the flour milling industry in opposition to the bill, representations that our indus** needs regulated rates to project futures markets, transit arrangements, etc. We emphatically disagree. We want and need the lowest rates on our raw terials, principally wheat and corn, that the carriers can offer; and we kis that the bill will provide proper incentives for lower rates. We do not need "the protection of regulation." That so-called protection has cost us dearly in the past and will in the future unless this bill becomes aw Regulation has been responsible for exacting higher rates from us than we should have to pay. For instance, take the new reduced multiple-car graa rates which have only become effective on May 11 of this year. We had to wa almost 2 years for these rates. During that period, we had to pay an estimated $270,000 in freight charges more than we would have had to pay if the ra had been in effect during that time. That extra money, of course, had to be reflected in the selling price of our products. We are sure that H.R. 4700 will be a good thing for our company and for a... the public. Very truly yours, W. H. CLARK, Traffic Manayır MOTOR COILS MANUFACTURING CO.. Hon. WILLIAM S. MOORHEAD, Washington, D.C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN MOORHEAD: I am very much interested in seeing that b% numbers S. 1061 and H.R. 4700 are passed. If enacted, these bills would improve our transportation systems by stimulating competition and reducing regulations Would you be kind enough to have this letter made part of the official hearings on these bills. Very truly yours, RALPH C. LAURO, President. THE COMMON CARRIER CONFERENCE Hon. OREN HARRIS, Washington, D.C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN HARRIS: Attached is a brief review of pertinent data ? 37 of the principal class I railroads from the 1962 annual report. This di seems to show that not only are the railroads winning all the rate cases, as we demonstrated in testimony before your committee, but they seem to be making very good progress financially, Mr. Loomis' testimony to the contrary notwith standing. In the face of these statistics, and the record of the actions of the Intersta Commerce Commission in the last 4 years, it is hard to see how you can justify giving the railroads more freedom in ratemaking than the wide latitude the now enjoy, at the risk of jeopardizing the competitive balance in the effent transportation system the country now enjoys. If it is not too late, and it would be in order, I would like to ask that these statistics be included in the records of the hearings. Respectfully yours, A. C. INGERSOLL, Jr MEMORANDUM Subject: Financial data, U.S. railroads, 1962 Attaching schedule presenting pertinent data for 37 class 1 railroads culled from 1962 annual reports. Carriers are listed alphabetically, and ranked by operating revenue to measure relative size and by operating ratio to compare overall efficiency. The last entry lists totals for 105 class I railroads. The leaders in selected categories are as follows: Financial data for 37 major class I railroads in United States for 19621 Curlers listed alphabetically but ranked according to operating revenue and to operating ratka * Incly tex Lock-tana & Arkansas Ry Co Inciules Trias Pacific Ry Co., Missouri Illinois Co. Financial data for 37 major class I railroads in United States for 1.2 [Aggregate figures in millions of dollars] 1 Carriers listed alphabetically but ranked according to operating revenue and to operating sta Hon. OREN HARRIS. SHERIDAN CHAMBER OF COMMENT. Chairman, Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, House of Repr... tives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. HARRIS: The Legislation and National Affairs Committee Sheridan Chamber of Commerce, Sheridan, Wyo., has studied and taken a a relative to H.R. 4700 and S. 1061, being those companion bills for de res tion of bulk commodities, agricultural and fishery products, etc. d It is our feeling you should be informed and aware of our conclus that it be made a part of the record, as the consideration of such legsat a is of vital importance to the economy of our area. This legislation calls for the deregulation of bulk commodities and you please appreciate our economy is strongly based on the shipment of t: ts of product-wheat, coal, agricultural commodities, to mention a few result of the passage of these bills would prevent or at the minimum gr hamper our area from intermediate processing of any of these products " some of our industries now exist on and being possible only because of I state Commerce regulation allowing "in transit" rate privileges. T would destroy this privilege, and perhaps with it some of our large in tr and therefore have an adverse effect upon our entire economy. Many of :-industries provide a service to our communities as well as jobs to our ps that could not exist if the industry had to rely on consumption of its fi product to our sparsely settled country; nor could the industry coL' forced to compete on its large volume intermediate processed commoy compelled to drop the "in transit" rate privilege. We further do not believe that the proposed legislation has made a attempt to fully understand the consequences of the bills witnessed by the fa. to put adequate controls on the potential monopolistic operations that be sure to arise. Our intermountain area desires to be industrial minded, though a recognized as an industrial area, we do and will oppose any legislation tha: will hamper our growth along this line and most strenuously object to st legislation that damages our present industry and economy, which these bills certainly will do to us. We strongly urge you and your committee to defeat II R. 4700 and 8. 1061. Sincerely yours, JOHN W. PATTON, Chairman, Legislation and National Affairs Committee, INTERNATIONAL MINERALS & CH3 MICAL CORP, Hon OREN HARRIS, Chairman of the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: We have a major interest in the legislative proposals in HR 4700 and, subject to the limitations set forth in the following, IM. & C.C favors mdej tion of this bill. It is respectfully requested that this letter be entered in the permanent record of these proceedings, International Minerals & Chemical Corp., hereinafter referred to as IMC, is a giversified corporation operating 76 mines and plants in the United States, producing some 60 products for agriculture, industry, and the home; agriculture being the dominating interest. We are vitally concerned with all types of transportation in the distribution of our raw materials and our manufactured commodities using rail, truck, barge, and ship in the movements in interstate and foreign commerce. We feel that all forms of transportation should have equal competitive opportunity Therefore, IMC supports the principles and objectives of HR 4700 to exempt railroads and others from minimum rate regulation on bulk commodities, etc., provided the rate procedures under section 5(a) of the Interstate Commerce Act are fully preserved and that the carriers are protected against antitrust actions thereunder. The antitrust protection afforded under section 5ta) extends only to actions taken under the procedures followed in approved agreements. It does not relieve against carrier actions which are collusive or in restraint of competition, such as conspiracy to destroy competitors. Subject to this amendment, IMC supports HR. 4700 in its entirety Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to present our views We have enclosed 35 additional copies for the committee's use. Sincerely, Chairman, House Committee on Interstate, and Foreign Commerce, DEAR MR. HARRIS: Our organization is deeply interested in important transportation legislation, HR. 4700, known as the minimum rate bill, which we feel will have a great impact on the agricultural segment of Virginia's economy We feel that the provisions of this bill have real merit, and that its pasKI JO will benefit our country Therefore, we respectfully request that this letter representing the thinking of our group on the proposed bill H R. 4700 be given consideration, and that it be made a part of the record. The considerations of your committee in this regard will be appreciated Sincerely yours, Hot. OREN HARRIS, Jog B. Cox, Master REA EXPRESS, New York, NY, May 7, 1963 (Fairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 199 AB MR. CHAIRMAN · HR. 4701, now under consideration by the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, includes an amendment of section 1003 |