The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1917-12-13
HE transportation o f
troops, their food and
supplies and ammunition
does not constitute the

| II WOORos OACII du0
IHSNNgH supplies and ammunition
Il&2g does not constitute the
role or even primary problem of
the railroads. To provide all the
transportation, the Government
needs and at the same time to rem
der the quantity and quality of
transportation required to keep the
commercial life of our country at
a high pitch, does not constitute
the problem the railroads face to-
day. But it means that they must
provide with the facilities existing
to-day a far greater amount of
transportation than they ever had
before.
The railroads of the United
States have organized for war with
a full realization of what it means.
They know they have a tremen-
dous task ahead of them, and they
are prepared to make their sacri-
fees. 1t Is imperative, too, that
the people of our country, especi-
ally those who use the railroads,
have a true conception of the rail.
road situation as it is affected by
the war. The problem with which
the railroads are face To face to-
day, is one that cannot be properly
solved by the managing officers
alone. 1t is the public's problem
as we'll, for the public must make
sacrifices in transportation as we'll
as in other ways.
The war has created a demand
for so many new kinds of traffic
and 50 many new sources of traffic,
that abnormal movements of
freight are constantly taking place
in accustomed directions, thus
placing entirely unexpected bur-
dens upon the facilities of the rail-
roads, shippers, and consignees.
The railroads must haul freight
that always went by water hereto
fore; ships that formerly carried it
being diverted to other uses.
There has been the most abnor-
NAL movement of freight in ex-
port traffic. In the year ending,
it showed an increase of nearly
three hundred per cent compared
with the year before the war. As
a result of this the railroads are
to-day carrying more freight than
they ever did in their history
with practically no increase in fa-
cilities. Still, greater results are
expected. Cars, locomotives and
tracks cannot be built over night;
and even if they could, much of
the railroads problem would re-
remain unsolved. The added rail-
way service of the country needs
must come out of the existing ia.
cilities.
In Judging the service of the
railroads the public should COM
pare it with the work they have
done heretofore. Far more trans
portation may be needed than is
physically possible to produce.
There is little doubt but that this
will continue to be the case
throughout the war. It is probable
that this fall and winter may see a
so-called car shortage such as we
have never known. If the public
will measure the work the railroads
do for the nation in the war by the
work done with the same facilities
before the war, a fair estimate can
be had of the value to the nation
of the railroads patriotic effort.
The railroads knew that ample
transportation service was the first
essential to a successful conduct of
war, and set out, Immediately our
own country was precipitated into
the struggle, to make their plans
for putting troops. food, fuel and
supplies exactly where they were
needed when they were needed.
The welfare of our nation is alb.
solutely dependent upon an ade-