Feverish January

A new January record for railroad traffic was set this year according to the report of the Bureau of Railway Economics. The total traffic was 37, 668,000,000 net ton miles. This is not only a new high record for January-- usually a poor month because of weather conditions--but exceeds the record of every month in 1921, and all but two months in 1922. The factors in the increase are not easily separated. Mild January weather was doubtless a contributing factor. So was a general improvement of business conditions. If the unusual January record should be followed by similar high records for the Spring and Summer months, it may materially influence the decision of Congress in regard to the railroads during the next Winter session.