Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1917-12-06

supplies Are Carried by the Rail-
roads Without Accident or Delay
Regular Traffic Not lnterfered With.
BY MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM HARoINo
CARTER.
We have stood ut the threshold Of
war for nearly three years without the |
nation Itself having formulated any
very definite Ideas as to what course /
1t would pursue in event Of being
drawn into the maelstrom in Europe.
This neglect Is quite pardonableI
when viewed In the light of our past
history, because UP to the present pei
Rod no American authority ever con- |
trmplated for moment any conditions
Of world war which would draw our |
troops to the field Of battle in Europe.
Among the things which must not be !
discussed now are the embarkation and
sailing for foreign ports of the armyj
which Is to bear our flag on the Eu-I
ropean battle fields, nor Is 1t deemed
appropriate to announce the routes or |
movements or organizations on their \
way to mobilization camps or ports
Of embarkatlon. This objection does
not hold however, with regard to maxi
Ing known the movements of the troops
after they have completed their Jour-
neys on land. ThesAmerican public
will be interested In learning how these
problems Of land transportation have
been haldled.
Five days after the declaration OF
war against Germany the presidents OF
the American railroads met at the ma
tional capitol and agreed that during
the war they would subordinate every
ether interest to helping to win the
war; that they would eliminate all
competitive rivalry and merge their in
terests under the direction of the
American Railway associations special
committee on national defense.
Directed From Washington.
Since that date the operation OF all
the.rallroads Of this country has been
hlb'i lIt ulI''l JuIiSul'tioh VI al CA
ecutive committee Of FIVE, located at
Washington. Under that committee Is
general committee, In charge Of the
details.
To every army department head
quarters was assigned an expert In
railway operation. with corps Of as
sistants placed at railroad centers. On
him rests the responsibility for the
movement by authorities.
The movement Of drafted men Of the
new National army involved more men,
but the movement Of the National
Guard Of the fifteen states compris-
Ing the Central department was
much more difficult problem for the
railroads. The war department had
determined that during the movement
Of the National army there should be
no movement OF the National Guard.
The period between September "a and
October ! was designated as available
for the movement Of National Guard
organizations Of the Central depart
! ment.
To prevent congestion at the desig-
nation camps or on the railroads, II
WAS necessary to perfect a plan cover
ing every detail. This plan showed the
location Of every National Guard unit.
the exact time for Its entertainment. the
railway route to be used. the speed
schedule to be followed, and the time
Of arrival at destination. From Ave to
twelve days In advance Of the move
ment Of the National Guard every
railroad participating In II knew ex-
actly what service II would have to
perform. The movement, was started
on the evening Of September "a and
completed on October I. The railway
equipment required 7o0 sleeping cars.
1900 coaches and baggage cars. not in-
Guiding freight cars.
How wen the plans were made II
shown by. the fact that the movement
was carried out In such q manner that
there was not more than one regiment
on any railroad on any one day and
that not more than one regiment ar
rived at any camp on the same day.
During this period SO organizations. In
IA states, were moved to their new sta
lions. The transportation involved
2,67l officers. S3,75l enlisted men. with
baggage. tents, wagons and animals.
Without q Hitch.
without an accident to q single man.
without delay at point Of origin. en-
route or at destination. without hitch
In the arrangements a. originally
planned. the officers aud men of the
National Guard In IL states were trans
ported by rail In one week to the dis
tant environments designated BY tho
war department. That Is q record Of
which every American has q right to
be proud.
The whole movement Of the National
Guard 10 the very short time allotted.
without causing consestion on the rail-.
roads or at the camp destinatioua.
could not have been effected but for
the unincauon q Ia rsRroeds agreed
upon BY their presidents and carried
out through what 10 commonly called
the railroads war board. nd.
while the preference would have
been given By the railroads b this mil.
itary trafKSc in any sveat, the faet thst
n was not n0csnnYy 10 chAnao TIA reR-