The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-06-08
RAILWAYS OF THE UNITED STATES in SINGLE system FOR WAR7
Under Government Direction and With European Lessons in ew
They Are Preparing to Handle Armies and Supplies Mis-.
takes Of the SpanlshAmerOan War viii Not Be Repeat
ed-EffCency the WatChword

on.-Transportatlon is ur
essential of the national service In
war time. Railways move the troops
feed the troops, equip the troops rail
ways feed the navy, equip and coal the
navy, and build the ships. No plant
can perform its government task with,
out prompt movement of material
parts, supplies and fuel. Railways are
the very arteries of war. Magnificent
armies of highly disciplined men
equipped with the most ingenious In
struments of destruction would be rem
dered inefficient by lack of railroads.
Never, perhaps, was the Importance
OF the railroad so eXempllhed as In the
European war. When the first shad-
ow of war cloud was cast over the
peace-lovlng United States, instant
consideration of the railroads as a
means Of defense came from the gov
ernment, and railroad officials patrioti-
cally took the initiative in placing at
the disposal Of the nation every mile
Of track and every wheel. When the
history of the war is written, one of
the most dramatic chapters may have
to do with the part the railroads
played.
If the American railways were called
upon to move large bodies of troops
and gave the same accommodation as
supplied In Europe. said George Bury,
vice president of the Canadian Pacific
railway, the other day, they would be
In position to move q vastly greater
number In shorter time. In warning
Europe troops are moved in freight
cars when passenger equipment is not
available. In Europe the passenger
service has been curtailed, the remain
Ing trains slowed up, and the running
Of fast frelghts discontinued.
Efficient Plan Worked Out.
The country has been assured by the
highest railroad authorities that the
failures of our transportation system
In the Spanish war will not be repeat !
ed, but that, on the contrary, as re-
suit of system which the war depart |
ment has worked out with the rail-
roads, confusion such as was incident |
to 1898 will be avoided. The conduct |
of that campaign was little better than
the fiascO of the French empire at the |
opening of the FrancO-Prussian war.
To get rid of the confusion which at
tended the attempted mobilization at
Tampa, when was disclosed an I'M
paralleled lack of executive ability, the
war department took up the question
with the railroads and worked out a
plan which has been accepted by all
lines in the country.
During the Spanish war, for exam
pie, supplies for 10000 men had been
to Tampa. In the effort of the
railroads to put these supplies into
that port 1000 freight cars were side
tracked and the whole lines congested
up as far as Columbia S. G. In ac-
cOrdance with the understanding that
Today exists between the war depart
ment and all the railroads, a placard
will be placed on every freight car,
marked UNITED States Army" in large
letters at the head, stating the depart
ment to which the supplies are con-
signed the car initial, the car number,
point Of shipment, contents, cOnsignee,
destination, route, date shipped, and
cOnsignor. When they arrive at the
front they will at once be put into
unloaded, and released with
)ut waiting for bills of lading or other
'ailrOad papers. The placards placed {
IN the cars will be considered sufficient ]
or all purposes. r
Must Never Be Sdetracked. Il
1t will be a rule of the railroad Off {
'ials conducting the mobilization that I
car thus marked shall never be side q
racked or laid over in yard. If it ]
8 damaged in any manner, repairs on b
will have precedence over other f
york. If these repairs cannot be i'm L
nedlately made, or are serious in char v
cter, the car will be at once unloaded Z