the legislature requiring certain classes of corporations to pay a license tax, upon the payment of which the commission is authorized to issue license for such corporation to do business in the ensuing year. To comply with this law, it is necessary that all domestic and foreign corporations doing business in Oklahoma make an accurate report to the commission annually. This keeps information of this character up to date. There are between twenty and thirty thousand domestic and foreign corporations now doing business in Oklahoma. SUBORDINATE POSITIONS The commissionerships range up to $15,000 per annum, and while the obtaining of these positions is largely a matter of political preferment, there are many lucrative subordinate positions that are open to traffic men thru the medium of civil service examinations. The annual report of expenditures of the Interstate Commerce Commission gives, for example, among many others, the following positions and the remuneration attached: A comprehensive knowledge of the federal Act to Regulate Commerce, and of state regulations with 3,000 3,000 2,400 2,400 1,800 respect to public utility control, an intimate acquaintance with the conference rulings of such commissions, and the interpretation of the statutes by the Supreme Court, are necessary requirements of the traffic man who will make good in this sphere. It is not only a growing and lucrative field, but one which is receiving greater appreciation from the public as the importance of adequate transportation facilities becomes more and more apparent. TEST QUESTIONS These questions are for the student to use in testing his knowledge of the assignment. The answers should be written out, but are not to be sent to the University. 1. What do you understand by a public utility commission? Explain each of the five problems in regard to transportation, with which state commissions must deal. 2. 3. Are commissions organized in a uniform manner? 4. What types of organization are used by public utility commissions? 5. About how many tariffs does the Oklahoma Corporation Commission keep on file? 6. For what purposes are these tariffs used? 7. Name at least half a dozen positions with the Interstate Commerce Commission. THE TRAFFIC FIELD PART V RAILWAY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT N. D. CHAPIN Director, Department of Interstate Commerce, Formerly Chief of Tariff Bureau of The New York Central PART V RAILWAY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT The Sale of Transportation-Lack of Efficiency in the Past THE SALE OF TRANSPORTATION The story of the construction and development of American railways is full of the glamor of romance and adventure. Nevertheless, the energy and money expended on them had only one object in view, the creation of a machine for the manufacture of transportation. The conveyance of persons and of property by means of power-drawn or impelled vehicles is the only product of this enterprise, and railway traffic management is concerned with the intelligent sale of this product. The relationship of the public and the carriers is that of buyer and seller. The multiplicity of operations necessary in creating the product has resulted in the oversight of this somewhat elementary tho fundamental fact by many of those engaged in the work. The charge is frequently made with more or less justice that railroad men as a class are notoriously |