The sun., 1916-11-18
HOW THE BRITISH ADAPTED THEIR
RAIL WAYS TO WAR SERVICE.


There was published a few days ago
a very frank and a very interesting
report prepared by tho special commit
tee Of the American Railway Associa-
ton. The report reviewed In some de-
tail the experience that had been
gained by the concentration Of troops
on the Mexican border. 1t then went
on to suggest a scheme Of closer CO.
operation between the railways and the
Government as a desirable step toward
national preparedness for war.
II British experience in the present
war goes for anything. the move advo-
Gated by the railway presidents Is not
merely desirable but vital. No nation
IL prepared for war that has not
thought out Its railway problem, and
1t seems clear from the committees re-
port that the United states has barely
even begun 10 consider II. Both the
criticisms and the recommendations OF
the committee show that the relations
between the railways and the Govern
ment. from the purely military stand
point, are little less than chaotic and
that even the principles which should
govern them have not yet been deter
mined.
This Ii a question which we In Great
Britain took up many years ago have
never lost sight Of. and may fairly
claim, TO have solved. There has at
any rate been nothing In conduct
OF the war more completely satisfac-
tory than the workings Of the British
railway system and the way in which
plans laid down In time Of peace were
x,a eelol -, r.,tth q. fa ss,lnaa aN1CiancN
when the hour struck for their applica-
tion. The British railways are privately
owned, and not me OF them was built
with an eye to strategic considerations.
Precisely the same conditions obtain
In the United States. and II IL therefore
from British rather than from German
experience that Americans will derive
the most light on the proper handling
Of railways in wal time.
II q In 1871 that the Regulation
OF the Forces Act was passed empow-
ering the British Government to take
control. whenever necessary. OF the
railways Of the country. Ever since
then h Government and the heads Of
the different companies have worked
in the closest cooperation. devising
programmes Of mobilization, agreeing
on the best points OF concentration.
mapping out the most convenient rout-
ings, computing the amount Of stock
that would be available at various CEN
tres for the transportation OF troops
and material. arranging not the terms
but the principles of the financial
agreement between the state and the
railways, drawing up elaborate time
tables, choosing from among the man.
ayers Of the companies the men who
would I've best qualified to take COM
mand ut a crisis. and so on.
For over forty a the work has
been going on, each year Of course
seeing some addition to or variation OF
the details OF the scheme OF operations.
but probably no alteration at all In its
general character. From the very first
the objects to be aimed at were clear:
First, to run the railways as a COM
plete unit. a single system: secondly.
TO place their management in the
hands Of an executive committee COM
posed Of the hest men from each OF
the companies. and thirdly. to compen-
safe the railways so that the share
holders. even IL they gained nothing.
would lose nothing by having come I'M
der national control.
These were the broad principles of
British railway policy. and their sound