Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1917-12-13
VIEW HELD BY
RAIL HEADS IS
LAID BEFORE
CHIEF OF i. S.
Railroad War Board Puts Be-
fore President Wilson the
Side of Country's Railroads
and Some of Their Needs.
(By Review Leased wire)

"Y ASHINGTON, Dec IL. The
w railroad view OF the transporta-
w tion problem and its solution
was laid before President Will
son today by the five members of the
railroad war board.
At the conclusion of the conference
Fairfax Harrison, chairman of the
board, announced that the whole situa-
tion Lad been canvassed thoroughly
but that no decision had been reach
ed. 1t was the general opinion tonight
that the president would study the
subject further before making known
his intentions.
Whatever course he decides on will
draw the fullest cooperation from the
railroads, the president was told, even
If his plan is government operation.
strongly urged by many of his advis-
ers. The railroads, however, the
war board made clear, are of the
opinion that they themselves can meet
the situation if given time. They re-
gard as their first need a centraliza-
tion of control of government troffic
in the hands of federal traffic mana
ger Priority orders without number
coming from various government de-
partments. they said, are doing more
to slow up freight movement than any
other single factor.
Want No Loan.
The railroads, it was reiterated, are
not seeking a government loan or re-
peal of anti-pooling laws. They be-
lieve that measures already taken for
the common use Of equipment and
trackage will bring relief from conges-
tion, though government approval of
railroad credit will be necessary if
the roads are to raise capital that will
be needed next year.
After seeing the war board members
the president received the executive
representatives of tn four railroad
brotherhoods, who came to Washing
ton to urge that there be no repeal
of legislation assuring the safety of
railroad workmen. The railroad men
were particularly concerned over re-
ports that congress might be asked to
repeal full crew and safety appliance
acts.
The representatives were: II. z.
Wills. of the engineers; p. j. McNam-
ara, of the firemen; W. NJ Clark, OF
the conductors, and w. NJ Doak. of
the trainmen.
Roads Working Hard.
The president was told by members !
of the war board OF steps already |
taken by the operating committee of |
eastern executives to clear choked |
terminals. These measures, the war
board said, already are showing re-
suits. and if given time, the roads can |
put traffic on a basis as nearly nor
NAL as possible considering the great |
amount of freight they are asked to |
transport
Attention was called to the roads 4
recommendation of month ago that |
the government deny transportation |
to more than 500 commodities classed |
as non-essentials. An order of this |
character. the presidents callers in
sisted, would have to be issued event |
pally, whoever operates the roads,
since there is more traffic than can |
be moved
Locomotives Sent East.
Orders transferring 100 locomotives /
from western lines to the east were
made public tonight by the war board |
The engines will be started east with
in the next "a hours. They will be
used by the more heavily, burdened
lines and will be furnished by the
western lines in proportion to the
each owns.
Announcement tonight from New
York that the eastern operating com
mittee had declared an embargo on
export freight except for government
supplies was hailed by war board
members as one of the most effective
moves made yet toward relieving con-
gested conditions.