The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-27
OPPOSITION TO PLAN

Continued from Page One.)
on this basis, a separate tribunal will
have to be called in to settle the diff
Guilty as neither the president nor
congress can arbitrarily fix the COM
pensation.
President Wilson's proclamation for
railroad control came suddenly. In
creasing confusion and congestion in
railroad operation brought about by
uncertainty over the roads future, led
him to act following visits to the
White House of Chairman Willard of
the war industries board ara members
of the interstate commerce commits
sion.
Actual Govt Operation Jan. 4.
Actual operation of the roads begins
January 1, to avoid confusion and eff
feet economies in accounting.
While all boat lines and other pos
sessions of the railroads go under fed
eraI control simultaneously with the
roads themselves, interurbans and
street car lines for the time being are
exempt. Should necessity arise, how
ever. the president will take these
over also.
Federal railroad control, regarded
as the most tremendous war stroke the
president has yet made, will be
promptly followed by a series of econ
omies. systems, terminals. equipment
and revenues will be pooled and
designed to eliminate nom essential
passe 1ger and freight traffic.
The president will devote the roads
primarily to actual war service, equip
ment not needed for this being the
only service which will be utilized for
other purposes.
Much of this has been accomplished
already under the direction of the
railroads war board. This board will
act as the agency thru which McAdoo
will direct the roads at least for the
time being. Fairfax Harrison is
chairman and is expected to become
a permanent assistant of McAdoo In
the work.
Consult Four Brotherhoods.
Today the president will take up
with the railroad brotherhoods ques-
tions of labor affecting all employees
from the engineer to the track walker
There are pendiI demands for in
creased wages by employees and it is
understood some increase will be
granted Immediately.
At the same time demands of the
roads for increased rates and oppo-
sition of shippers to such Increases
are involved in the countless problems,
confronting McAdoo in assuming con-
troll. The president thru McAdoo. can
sweep away for the period of the war
all rulings by Il interstate commerce
commission on rates, service, etc.
McAdoo will retain the services of
the interstate commerce commission in
an advisory capacity to assist in ad
justing existing difficulties.
The president acted to free the
arteries of trade. There is expected
tc be an immediate accelerating of
men and supplies to the seaboard, de-
layed during recent months by the in,
ability of the railroads to cope with
the problem becau Ie of lack of power
Aggregates Twenty Billion.
Tlxr hi sa1fir ole 2
hundreds of thousands of American
investors in railroad stocks amounting
to more than 1000. 100000, comes
under the protection of the govern
me- during the war. It is believed
likely an order will go out stopping
until the furry following the govern
ment's action is over. Approximately
2S4,OO0 miles of railroad tracks come
under McAdoo's supervision.
From railroad presidents all over
the country today messages reached
the White House assuring the presi-
dent of their full approval and CO.
operation in the governments ire
mendous move
Decide Industries Fate
President Wilson's proclamation au-
tomatically places all the great in
dustries of the nation upon an imme-
date war basis.
Just as the great transportation
lines reach out into every Industrial
center, practically determining the
success or failure of all commercial en-
terprlses, so will the government now
determine what industries may survive
or perish thru ability or inability to
move their products.
Non-war products will be placed last
in the list of commodities to be moved,
particularly in the congested territor-
les of the east and south. The rail-
v-O dc I'D hit
advisory capacity With McAdoo, al
ready has listed about five hundred
commodities as 'non-essentiaSs, -
including jewelry, liquor, fripperies of
all kinds and luxuries of every de-
scription.
In the same manner, building ma
terials may be further restricted in
shipment to private individuals to pro-
vide a greater supply of steel and raw
materials for munitions.
Many Advisory Boards.
Coal will further be confined to es-
sential lines of business and domestic
purposes by extension of the govern
ment's railroad control to all coal traf-
fic.
- Under MeAdoo will now be conferred
all the various transportation boards
and commissions in the country as
we'll as the best railroad operating
brains the United States affords
These bodies are: Interstate COM
merce commission, railroads war
board, railroads operating committee
I OF vice-presidents in Pittsburg, Ameri-
can railway association and its car
] service committees, transportation
| branches of the various governm tent
! departments and of the national coal
! association, railroad traffic chiefs of
/ shippers associations and large indus
tries and the aid of the different state
\ railroad commissions.
|
FINANCIERS ARE HAPPY, TOO.
Bankers Also Breathe Easier Over