Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-17
R. R. TROUBLES
in GERMANY BAD
STOOD PROBLEM
Rolling Stock Falling Apart;
Cannot Get Provisions to
Large Cities
(BY STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.)

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.)
Berne, Switzerland, Feb. II, via
Paris. = Although the most serious
of the great problems which to-day
occupy the attention of the German
leaders is the food question, of almost
equal Importance is the situation pre-
sented by transportation difficulties.
Until the present winter these Difficult
ties were felt but little and were not
recognized generally as constituting
major problem until the shortage of
food became more acute by reason OF
the lack of rolling stock, the deprecia-
ton of freight cars and the sudden
cold spell which froze the rivers and
canals, hindering or preventing the
transportation of most necessary foods
to centers of population.
Rolling Stock in Poor Shape
At the beginning of the war Ger
many had surplus of railway car
riages freight cars and locomotives
which had been provided expressly
against emergency In consequence
transportation of the first two years of
war was adequate for all the unusual
demands made upon it, notwithstand-
ing the extension of territory served.
The conqua est of Belgium resulted in
the capture of a comparatively large
number of Belgian freight cars which
to-day may be seen everywhere in
Germany, Polans, Lithuania, Austria,
Hungary, Serbit, and even Rumania,
The factories in which rolling stock
ordinarily is produced and repaired,
however, are needed urgently at pres
ent for other purposes. Moreover the
shortage of oils has made it impossi-
bic to keep the cars in proper condi-
ton. Such few cars as were captured
in Russia have been found unavail-
able because they are of broad gauge.
The German surplus, deteriorating
from month to month has gradually
gone to pieces. Shortly before the
correspondent left Berlin it was de-
scribed by an unusually outspoken
German railway official as ''miser-
able"
From time to time passenger SER
vice in all parts of Germany has been
reduced, until at the present time the
trains which at this season are cold
to the freezing point, are terribly over
crowded frequently late and seldom
complete even short journeys without
getting hot boxes From the begin
ming of the war the government has
proceeded on the basis that the troops
must be supplied with all kinds of
necessities at the expense of every
thing else and even the magnificent
German trackage system is loaded
down constantly with trains carrying
troops, supplies and ammunition. Not
only is it impossible for civilians be-
hind the front to travel without diff
Guilty, but food supplies often are jeo-
pardized.
Troop Movements Interfere
The problem has been increased by
the necessity of shifting troops fire.
quently between the western and east
ern fronts to counteract offensive
movements of the allies.
Beginning with last fall the canals
and lSn6
and more for the transportation of
foodStuffS, partly because boats have
a longer life than cars. Then came
the cold, which froZe everything but
the largest rivers and even stopped
transportation on the Rhine for a
time. Every city in Germany had long
felt the pinch for the lack of horses,
automobiles and other means of short
haul transportation. This, in common
with the stoppage of water traffic and
the great reduction in the number of
trains, has brought trying need to the
larger cities. Centers like Berlin have
not had even their scant allotment of
potatoes, flour and other commodities.
Applies to Austria, Too
The arrival of spring and warmer
weather will help the situation, but
not greatly, because it will merely
make water transportation again pos
sible. Thorough-going repairs for the
establishment of railroad equip
ment would be possible only by cut
ting down the output of ammunition
from factories that in peace times
were car shops, but were reorganized
for war purposes.
All that applies to Germany is dou-
bly, true of Austria and especially of
Hungary where the gradually increas-
ing shortage of cars and depreciation
of rolling stock in general are added
to the difficulties imposed by the tre-
mendous stretches that are single
tracked for instance from points only
short distance from Budapest all the
way to Pennsylvania.