The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-07-22
DELAY MOVEMENT
OF TROOPS, WEAK FROM HUNGER;
CONGRESS WILL INVESTIGATE
Rush Troops to Border, Said
Wilson-Sidetrack Troops
for Excursion Trains, Said
Railroad Officials-Grave
Charges Are Made.
SPECIAL 70 THE JOURNAL

11S-A<A4L IL i he JOuHNAI
Washington, D. c., July 20.-While
excursion trains and passenger traffic
with modern facilities were given the
right of way over the Pennsylvania
railroad, the Pennsylvania national
guardsmen, ordered to crush" to the
border by President Wilson, were, it
is now being charged, sidetracked,
delayed, for hours, and huddled into
dilapidated old Shuttle coaches"
which had been used for suburban
travel many years about Philadelphia.
This is merely one of the fragrant
cases of Encouragement, or worse,
by the railroads of the country at the
time of the national guard mobiliza-
ton, according to information reach
ing Washington. It is the main rea-
son for the passage by the house of
the resolution introduced by Rep. ].
Hampton Moore of Philadelphia, cali
ing on the war department to report
whether inadequate and insanitary
lcSl442IACD WC1C OA4C A144LL4r1
by the railroads Of the country.
MANY complaints have reached
me-" declares Moore. mot only
from Pennsylvania, but from Con-
necticut, Illinois and other states l
have received complaints of made
quate facilities furnished the militia
men.
II am not entering any formal
charges; am simply seeking infor-
nation as to who is responsible.
81 know men have been compelled
to exist on trains three men to two
seats in a day coach, and have had
no opportunity to get any sleep unless
they lay down ip. the aisles of the
\ car.
''Many other complaints have come
me, and my resolution is simply de-
ned to bring out the facts. Then,
remedial legislation is ;necssso~---
AeAu, 4,-v- - a-ssvo ~ enacted.
GORE charges that 900 of the
nsylvania militiamen entrained at
Gretna, Penn, were three hours
arriving at the station in Phila-
ia. because their trains had been
led aside to make way for excur-
trains, while their relatives and
is waited on the station platform
tense heat.
hen these same men arrived at
louis they had been without food
b hours, and had been only half
Tor two and a half days. When
reached that city, the city au-
tiles managed to got some food
hem.
some of the old day coaches the
light the men had was single
ID lantern hung from the roof. So
earable were the conditions that
men in many cases tore the backs
of the STRAIGHTFORWARD seats so
y might get an opportunity to lie
vn. The supply of drinking water
insufficient, and the men claim
old cars in which they rode were
-ty and unsanitary.
Many other congressman have re-
lived similar complaints, and Rep
sentative Charles Bennett Smith OF
lew York, has also introduced a res
ation directing the committee on in
srstate and foreign commerce etc
onduct an inquiry to determine the
ause and responsibility for the fail,
re of the railroads to provide ade.
bate and proper accommodations tt
transport the national guard of New
York to the Mexican border.
IKinois troops of Batteries D anC
r have Joined in a protest agains'
the facilities offered them, saying
they were transported in old da!
coaches of the New Haven railroad.