The Washington herald., 1917-09-21

ton half of each week and in New
York the other half Yesterday
Mr.. Elliott stated that one of the
difficulties the executive committee of
the Railway Association of National
Defense is meeting with in its efforts
completely to coordinate the Amer
lean railroads for national service is
due to the fact that the urgent ne
cessities of France. England and Rus
sia for certain railway supplies have
made necessary considerable delay in
securing cars and engines ordered for
the American railroads. For it was
deemed an essential factor in carry
ing on the war with adequate prepara-
tion for ultimate victory, that France
England and Russia should be sup
piled as soon as possible with the
various kinds of railroad equipments.
Those nations to a certain extent had
the trst call, and, although this may
have delayed somewhat the procur-
ing Of adequate supplies of cars and
engines for the American railroads.
nevertheless in meeting the demand
of the nations across the sea the
railway war board believes that 1t Is
cO-ordinating and cooperating with
foreign nations so that there may be
such preparation as is possible for
the kind of war service which the
railroads give.
Nevertheless the railroads OF the
United States have accomplished
wonderful results in view of the tact
that it was not until April that they
began the policy of coordination and
cooperation which has now, so far
as national purposes are concerned,
substantially unified the American
railway system. The railroads of the
United States in the month of June,
about three months after the presi-
dents and managers of these rail-
roads pledged themselves to cooper
ate and coordinate to the end that
the government might be adequately
served, handled % per cent tons of
freight one mile more than they did
in June Of last year. This was done
with very little increase of equip
ment. Mr.. Elliott saws that the vol
ume of business that the American
railroads are now doing is running
at the highest figure ever known, and
if the remainder of the calendar year
of 1917 shows maintenance at the
present rate, the increase of the busi-
ness over two years ago will make
1t possible to report statistics which
will be regarded as astonishing. while
there will also he substantial in
crease over the volume of business
done in 1916.
Many are inclined to the opinion
that the increase in the efficiency and
service of the American railroads is
due to the power wisely exerted by
the Federal government. so that in
that sense the government is really
operating the American railroads.
But this view is inaccurate 1t has
no foundation in fact. The only
thing the government has done is
tacitly to suspend the operation of
the statutes which forbid combina-
ton. agreements. pooling or anything
that tended toward a monopoly. 1t is
a curious fact that while Mr.. Elliott
is now much occupied for a part Of
his time in trying to aid the New
Haven Railroad so that the company
may find a way out of its present
embarrassment. these difficulties were
in a great measure due to the action
of the government is disrupting the
New Haven railway system. II the
New Haven Railroad Company had
been able so te manage its affairs
as to maintain the coordination of
its system in New England, the prob