The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1916-03-31
(By Judson {. Nciliver.)

OF two OF three members might eXer-
else practically final aath0r.ty i'll many
/ matters which now require the agree
mont OF the entire body.
/ \ year ago the warning countries
were more concerned TO get food sup
plies than anything else At that
time this country had a vast surplus
OF these necessaries on hand. but was
not yet ready to begin heavy ship
nent OF arms and ammunition. But
today the situation is entirely changed.
The munition factories are turning out
/ trainloads and shiploads and feet
loads OF their wares, and the western
powers are demanding these in pref
crence to any other kind of freight.
An Industrial Revolution.
As the fighting materials are chief
ly made in the East, there is great and
Increasing difficulty IN getting freight
from the West pushed through the
Eastern zone OF congestion. A yeri-
table industrial revolution has taken
place in southern and middle New
England, which before the war was in
4 condition Of profound depression
largely due to the misfOr;unes of tn
New Haven system.
The other day a railroad man de-
scribcd New England as big bottle,
the neck Of which was represented by
the New Haven lines across Connect
cut. The bottle is full to overkowing
OF Industrial products trying to gurgle
cut through this inadequate neck. with
the result that there is fearful jam.
The worst congestion is in the re-
gion from which the backwater of
this excess traffic is damned back as
far as middle Pennsylvania and New
York, and on some lines OF road still
farther.
tb' otGlCo NoflPf1fH.
II Is small wonder that fears are
now being entertained concerning the
movement OF the Middle West crops
the coming autumn. Complaints have
been reaching the commission from
all over the grain states, that cars
are not to be had, elevators are full.
and that when cars are ordered to
Western points to relieve this situa-
ton they simply don't arrive
They are seized en- route at the va |
rious industrial centers, and started
back Bast again. In the East, both |
sidings and warehouses are filled. and !
the lack Of ships 10 carry away export |
goods is making conditions worse all J
he time.
the West is beginning to complain
If what it regards as discrimination
II favor of the East 1t is charged
hat the embargoes laid by various
'ailroads have been manipulated TO
he advantage of the Industrial East
@ that the cars are kept in that re-
ion.
It is quite possible that the Inter
tate Commerce Commission will be
with the consent of the
ailrcads, to assume authority to con-
rol embargoes on freight. There has !
cen especial complaint that the en-
argO ordered has in some cases fav- .
red particular kinds Of commodities, | ;
nd this is one of the grievances Of
Western shippers.
The commission inquiries Indicate
rat the preferred classes of freight.
amely, arms and ammunition, and
tier fighting paraphernalia. consti-
lte not over per cent OF the freight ]
Tered to the roads. The testimony
dictates that generally this kind OF
eight has been pushed through pret-
: promptly.
Want Experiment Postponed.
One argument that IS powerfully
elping the Western shippers has to
D with the food supply OF Eastern |