Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-04-28
EVENTS OF A WEEK

EVENTS OF A WEEK
An incident illustrative of the quiet manner in which
great changes are sometimes brought about Is the issu-
ancs Of orders to the railroads of the United States to
give right of way for all shipments of iron and coal, and
to adopt certain rules for tho speedy return by each road
OF all freight cars belonging to other lines. From any
thing affecting his own actions the individual shipper
or traveller has little reason to know that this nation
Is at war. He travels as he did before. He pays the
same rates. His trains run with reasonable regularity.
His goods are carried on the same terms and at the same
cost as before. And yet, within a few weeks the gov
ernment of the United States has taken charge OF ,os
operation of every mile of railroad in the country.
For the period and the purposes of the war the null
titude Of railroads in the United States. big and little,
have been merged into one great system, and the federal
government is in charge Of it all. And yet there has
been no change Of ownership, no change in direct man
asement, and no confusion or excitement. This great
change has been brought about as a war measure, and,
to the general public it is mperce ptible. 1t is, never
thelessl real and important.
At the outset Of the war most of the continental
European countries had both publicly and privately
owned railways Immediately the private roads were
taken over by the several governments. In Great Brit
ain government ownership of railroads had not prevailed
on any considerable scale, but it was as necessary there
as elsewhere that there should be unity in management.
The government, therefore, Immediately took over tho
management Of all the roads, and those roads haya stnoe
been operated as government agencies. Tho plan had
us oefects. While the management Of details renamed
largely in tho same hands as before, responsibility was
transferred from trained railroad heads to comparatively
unframed government officials. There was the confusion
which must always follow where new mon are placad in
charge OF vast enterprises which arc required to work
At high pressure and under new conditions.
. .
The experience Of Great Britain has been usafu, as
. guide to US. There was here the sams need for unity.
But a plan was devised to secure that unity without dis
turotns the regularity Of railroad operation. Under an
arrangement between the railroad managers and the
government tho railroads Of tho county have been group
ed in what 10 really one great system. with competent
men representing tho government In charge. But the
separate arrangements have not been disturbed. Instead
OF suppaantdng these managements, and accepting re-
sponsibilhy for all the work on Its own account, the
government formur1tes general policias and states gem
eral needs and the expert managers who were already
In charge are held responsible for carrying out the de-
clared purposes and complying with the stated regula-
tipna. Thus, because the rapid movement Of coal and
iron are essential to the proper operation of every indus
try. the governing board orders that right of way shall
be given for these commodities. Because It Is necessary
Tor the orderly operation Of the roads that cars shall be
returned as speedily as possible to the roads owning
tnem' orders are Issued covering this feature. The sep
arate managers are required to provide the ways and
means for carrying out these requirements on their own
roads.
Little can be said Of the preparatory operatdon. of
the week save that they have been continued as rapidly
as possible. The government at Washington has never
been moro active, but whereas at the beginning the acts
performed were broad and comprehensive, and indicated
tho adoption of large policies, the work now Is assuming
more and more the form .of detail calculated to carry out
IO QohS4eS Sdu Ibis aDOUeS
70 every department of government, to the recruiting
for army and navy, to the work Of providing munitions
and other supplies, to the work Of food production and
food conservation, to every activity. that has to do with
tho prosecution Of the war.
s@%u
Delegations from Great Britain and France are now
in Washington in daily conference with our government
The British delegation is headed by Hon. A. ]. Balfour,
foreign minister. General Jonre and former Premier
viviani are members Of the French delegation. These
men are here for the purpose Of placing before our gov
rn99auf oil thA fnrno+ - 4I~- 1900
ing both military and civil matters, to the end that there
may be close and effective cooperation between the Uni
ted States and her allies. and that IN the arrangements
now made advantage shall be taken of the experience
Of other great nations which have not been actively
engaged in war for nearly three years.
5
@ It is worth while to remember that among the men
now active In this war there is not ono who has had ex-
perience in general command Of large operations in
= great war. General Johfe served with distinction in
the Franco-Prussian wal. but he had only e. subordinate
command. That war was the latest great continental
war. Great Britain has had no important war since that
In the Crimaa- The wars in which any Of the great ma
lions have BEEN engaged which have called for tho serv-
s4ccss Of the msn now commanding 'have; called for the use
Eof comparatively few troops. An exception may be made
In ths caset Of tho war between Russia and Japan, but
saths conditions under which that war was fought were
SsntirsfJ unlike those in Europe. The generals Of today,
|thsrefore. have been obliged to formulate new methods,
"A aDpH to war scientific knowledge never before tested
SiA# actual operation. and. naturally. they have made
smany-mtstakea
Ihas bssn necessary 70 experiment in sysry held.
49, "a wAvs Of, handling troops have been devised; new
#n1ehoAs ef transportation 1nysntsd: nav Industrial Or
1aatantto1s have been effected; everything has been done
H4AsA nsw NY. And many OF tho methods attempted
afaANs. bssn found not 70 A. The late entrance o. the uni
AeAtas into thu war .snablss us to take aAvantass OF
hnoN1edgswhic Aas bssn acquired ~ the sxpsrfenos
sehsfr1 AGp6sSAs 800 III ~ forsisn srnissariss. Il for
S3e1sS SfpSssf sf saidins nssto avdtl nigtakss,s in order
SAthsrs may DO no VISITS of time. energy u maisrtal.
sssn - bssnn slarssty occupied ~ eonsrs... Is