OF RAILROAD FREIGHT CARS HEARINGS BEFORE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE COMMERCE UNITED STATES SENATE SEVENTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON S. J. Res. 147 A JOINT RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE MORE FREIGHT CARS Part 1 JUNE 30 AND JULY 1, 1942 Printed for the use of the Committee on Interstate Commerce CONTENTS Bell, Charles E., representing the Coal Operators' Association of Garfitt, W., executive vice president of the United Fresh Fruit & Vege- 89-102 129 Goodyear, C. J., representing the Atlantic States Shippers Advisory 102-114 Hollopeter, Herschel A., traffic director of the Indiana State Chamber 48-60 King, Homer C., Director of Bureau of Service, Interstate Commerce 27 Lacey, Edward F., executive secretary, National Industrial Traffic League, Munsey Building, Washington, D. C.......... Mace, G. E., representing the Commerce Industry Association of New Moore, D. V., manager, freight traffic division, Pittsburgh Chamber 47-48 Schwietert, A. H., traffic director of the Chicago Association of Com- 118-129 Siddes, F. P., Colorado Springs, Colo___. 60 III TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 1942 UNITED STATES SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE COMMERCE, Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:30 a. m. in room 412, Senate Office Building, Senator Clyde M. Reed presiding. Present: Senators Reed (presiding) and Tunnell. Senator REED. The subcommittee will come to order. Pursuant to his power under the rules of the Senate, Chairman Wheeler of the Interstate Commerce Committee appointed a subcommittee composed of Senator Johnson of Colorado (chairman), Senator Tunnell of Delaware, and Senator Reed of Kansas, to hold hearings on Senate Joint Resolution 147, which the committee reporter will make a part of the record at this point. (S. J. Res. 147 is as follows:) [S. J. Res. 147, 77th Cong., 2d sess.] JOINT RESOLUTION Providing for the more effective prosecution of the war by expediting the loading and unloading of railroad freight cars Whereas railroad freight cars are furnished shippers as a means for transporting freight and not for storage purposes; and Whereas the prompt loading and unloading of freight cars is vital to the successful prosecution of the war effort of the United States; and Whereas it has been reliably reported that shippers and receivers of freight have, in many instances, failed to load and unload freight cars promptly, and that some shippers have used railroad freight cars for storage purposes rather than for transportation purposes: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, except as shall otherwise be provided by appropriate order of the Interstate Commerce Commission, shippers and receivers of freight via railroads shall be allowed thirty-six hours to completely load or completely unload commodities shipped in railroad freight cars. The free time herein provided for shall be calculated from the first 7 antemeridian after the freight car has been placed for loading or unloading, except that there shall be deducted from said free time the number of hours between 1 postmeridian and 6 postmeridian the preceding day during which the car was placed and available for loading or unloading. SEC. 2. A shipper or receiver of freight failing to load or unload a railroad freight car within the time specified herein shall pay a penalty of $5 for the first twentyfour hours following the expiration of free time during which the railroad freight car is detained by reason of failure to load or unload, $10 for the second twentyfour hours following the expiration of said free time, and $25 for the third and each succeeding twenty-four-hour period during which said car is detained by reason of failure to load or unload. SEC. 3. The penalties for failure to promptly load or unload railroad freight cars herein provided for shall be collected by the appropriate railroad company, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the car demurrage rules filed with 1 |