Lumber Rates From Coast Reduced lnto C. F. A. Territory

Seattle, Wash., Apr. 29.-The West Coast Lumbermen's Association is in receipt of the Interstate Commerce Commission's decision covering the complaint filed jointly by the West Coast Lumbermen's Association and the Western Pine Association on lumber rates from the Pacific Northwest to Indiana, Southern Michigan, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia, otherwise known as Central Freight Association territory, according to an announcement by H. N. Proebstel, Trafific Manager of the Association. The case lvas decided on March 28, 1932, by Division 4 of the Commission. of which Commissioners Meyer, Eastman and Mahafifie are members.

The decision finds that the rates complained of are not unreasonable maximum rates but that they are unduly prejudicial and such undue prejudice is ordered to be removed on or before July 14, 1932, upon thirty days' notice to the Commission and the public. The exact amount of undue prejudice is determined by the Commission in its decision. The crux of the complaint of the two Western lumber associations was directed to the existing sharp increase in lumber freights east of the Illinois-Indiana state 1ine. To points throughout Illinois and Wisconsin, the north Pacific Coast rate on lumber is 72c. Just across the Illinois-Indiana line, this rate rises to 821c, which is the most abrupt gradation to be found in the entire lumber rate structure from the Pacific Northwest. The Commission's decision finds that the existing rates to Central Freight Association territory are unduly prejudicial to the consumers and dealers located in that terrilory to the extent that they exceed 5c over the

72c rate of the lllinois-Wisconsin group to a narrow strip /Zc tate llhnols-Wrsconsln of territory in Western Michigan (Southern peninsula) and terrrtory ln Western rulcnlgan ()outnern penlnsulal ancl 'Western Indiana characterized as the Grand Rapids-Evans- ville group; that to the remainder of Southern Michigan and Indiana, also Western Ohio points, rates free {rom undue prejudice should not exceed loc over the IllinoisWisconsin group. To the balance of the destination territory described, rates free from undue prejudice should not exceed 15c.

Following the filing of the complaint by the Sest Coast Lumbermen's Association and the Western Pine Association ijointly, separate complaints rvere filed by the California White and Sugar Pine Association and the California Redwood Association, whose members manufacture lumber in southern Oregon, California and Nevada. The Southern

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Pine Association filed a separate complaint of its own, covering rates on Yellow Pine lumber from the entire Southeast and Southwest producing regions to Central Freight Association territory.

Relief granted to produ,cers in the Pacific Northwest will be accorded the operators in Southern Oregon, California and Nevada.

No relief to North Pacific lumber shippers will be gained from the decision in the limited area in the central part of Ohio, of which the cities of Columbus and Cleveland are representative; otherrvise, the rates now in force, the reductions ordered, and the rates to be scheduled on or before July 14, are as follows:

Restores Tariff on Lumber to Rev enue Bill

The Senate Finance Committee on May 4 added four tariff duties to the revenue bill. Oil and coal import taxes were restored to the measure and duties on copper and lumber were also added. All votes reversed previous decisions of the committee.

Senator Jones of Washington won on the proposal to incrcase the present tariff on lumber from $1 a thousand feet to $3. Irltlrlllrl