The sun., 1917-11-25
Railways to Be Operated as
q Single System Under
Government Control.
ALL SCHEDULES UPSET
Many Trains TO Be Taken OFF
Possible Embargo on
Non-essentials.


Rs~oluftonAry changes in the operation
Il Americas transportation system wcrc
announced to-day by the Railroad War
Board Beginning at once tho Eastcrn
nlroads Of the country. comprising :5
Der cent. Of the total mileage and doing
% per osnt Of the business. are to be
operated - one single railroad system
By committee made up Of the operAt-
Ing vice presidents Of the roads In
yolved, under the direction OF the Rail-
road War Board.
This change In the present system.
made to secure the maximum efficiency
for the nations overburdened transpor-
tstion systenn. . vital factor in winning
the war, eAs determined upon to-day 1t
q conferences at which were present menl-
hers of the War Board and representa-
tyes eS the Government. Necessitating &
virtually the abrogation Of the law
against pooling. It nevertheless has tho
approval Of the Government.
Hencpforth .AalI resources " these
roads are to be pooled and operated as
single unit regardless of ownership
or Individual interest. Not only does II
mean tha pooling or all equipment and
taciltisA but It virtually means the
pooling Of all their business, this bust
nss to be divided as the operating COM
mittes deems essential
n 0e run - One System.
II means that some independc; rail-
roads hereafter will be regarded "
merely a third or fourth track cf oirer
lines 1t inca MS the discs riding of many
existing schedules and bases for me cs-
rSf ftnf ur,t "A d.,t M
sdly will affect future financial stare
ments by reason OF the fact that such
roads ~ the Pennsylvania. tho New
York Central. the Erie. the New Haven
snd all roads east OF the Mississippi
end north Of the Ohio and Potomac
rivers are to be run NJ one 81 stem Tor
the rurposs primarily OF transporting
ear supplies ''p
Each road viii be used to ts maxi
mum capacity, but the kind OF business
will do, high clasQ or low class freight.
will - . matter of'compaiition. but Of
distribution by authority IN Washington.
While the roads will still remain under
private ownership and private control.
the results will be precisely the same Ms
would ee secured under Government
control, namely. the utiiizatio OF every
nile, OF track and every unit OF
sQuipnntnt and every part of the trsne.
portatien plant to its maximum capacity.
The outstanding features of the action
taken to-day and Its ramifications are
a. follows:
The 0ovsrnmen. tacitly consents to
virtual abrogation by reason Of war
necessities o< the section Of the Inter-
state Commerce act making It unlaw-
sul for any common carrier to enter
INTO any contract or agreement for the
pooling Of ffeights
That thneu9h this action there will
e' eomhiDsA 10 one railroad system
sSIS0o ntles ef railway with 1.l04y00O
'srs ana es5.eeo employees.
That the present system under which
shippers can route their own freight
ls about TO be discontinued, all this be-
Ing placed IN tho hands Of some CEN
,fal authority acting for all the rail
roads, this agency to designate over
What routes private as well as Govern
ment shipments shall move.
That an immediate development will
he clas ssihcation Of non-eesentia'
freight 10 be moved when possible or
% be placed under an absolute en-
barge II conditions make this neces-
sdy.
That passenger schedules will be
f7eaty changed and curtailed. par
i,ellarly the through echeduIes. with
ne possibility that on some roads
through passenger traffic will be
eniDated that they may be used
more extensively as freight lines.
Eject ON EarninEs Unknown.
While no announcement has been made
'sard!ng the effect that this change
Nil have. on railroad earnings aud the
pans mad. to meet the new conditions
recognized by those who have put
voc plan into execution that a necessary
S'Yfroilary Is a plan by which the Sc
,,N''ty holders of the roads involved WIN
% protected against loss. II there Is to
y as would seem certain. a wide dis
location Of earnings come form of relief
must De provided. The Idea Is TO wait
unNl tho results have been shown In
.'i" fespcc' and II Is understood that
'he heads OF the railroads have post
t1ned ali consideration Of finances for
tHe time being form Of Government
guarantee of pre-war earnings lras been
suggested. but it has not come from the
railway heads
VI" conference at which the plan was
spproved was held at the offices of the
sausa" War BOARD In addition Ia
,ieh'~@rs or tho board there we're
PRESENT representing the Government
ael Administrator Garfield. Food Ad-
illustrator Hoover, Judge Robert S
."'est priority member OF the War In
.as'""r Board Chairman Hurley Of the
cnppins Board. and Commissioner CLARK
" "" Interstate Commerce Commission
III" conference was the ouigrowth o'
mo'ement which began ten days aSt
I've tns.ance OF members OF the Rail.
ROAD War Board, Who realize that I!
ne aslmum efficiency o: the transpor.
tVSn plant vac to be occurred for pur,
noses Of the war. more drastic change,
rnan any set attempted must he made
oce' The chief obstacle 10 overcome
VIZ tae law sgs.nst pooling. 81
ln- plan FIRST was worked out by th,
~ board and bs them submltted TO .
,,f>'ln: ~ all the presidents of th,
eastern roads held iast Ncck IN New
oespiie the tremendous ohanges
"o"ia make necessary. these railroad
pre- benis agreed to The plan unan
l"i'lA. once the rnenbere Of the Tail
."au Var Board had made II clear 4
uN'l, 'i'a' the necessity for II was I'm
N2W nude II imperative 1as ,a
TP'''nS. congestion on tho railroad
o'n,issed on Second PosS. "A