New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-06
Roads, Unified,
AreNowSolvinq
War Problems
Eastern Lines Operating in
Nation Interests Are End
ing Congestion
By Theodore M. Knappen

PITTSBURGH. Dec. 5.-American
railway systems are already unified in
effect. The only question is whether
they are 10 be operated for war by
their owners or by the government. The
Eastern lines are the only ones that
are overwhelmed by the demands Of
war For some days now they have
been operated with only single end in
view. furnishing transportation 10 win
the war.
Can the government do it better than
the special joint committee sitting in
Pittsburgh, that Yields supreme oper-
ating power over all the railways be-
tween Chicago and the Atlantic sea-
board? The railways are now giving
demonstration of their willingness
and ability to operate their lines solely
in the national interest.
Already the demonstration is so sue
cessful that there is little doubt that
within another week there will be no
logical basis for the demand that the
government take over the railways for
the period of the war. All the govern
ment needs to do is 20 give the ran
WAYS free hand. so that they can
legally unity themselves and direct
their properties as whole.
Whatever the government wants IN
the way of transportation the railways
are prepared to give. But they want TO
90 the work in their own quick-action,
direct way. without direction by po-
litical board, made up, as most of the
war boards are. of men who are not
experts.
Holding Continuous Sessions
The operating executives of seven
Eastern lines are sitting in continuous
session here-morning. afternoon and
night. Sundays and holidays disposng
RAPIDLY and decisively Of every phase
of railway war transportation. Already
they have attained remarkable results.
Already they are raising the embargo
on the Pittsburgh gateway. Resides
breaking the colossal jam Of freight
cars in the Pittsburgh pass, they have
confronted thu problem OF congestion
at Atlantic ports, which is primarily
not railway job at all, but a port and
shipping task.
SO great has been their success in
one week that IT has raised the ques-
ton Of turning the whole transporta-
ton lob Of the government over TO the
railways, instead of turning the latter
over 10 the government. Congress
would do better TO intrust the whole
vast interests OF war transportation
from the mines, factories and fields TO
France TO the railways, instead OF
thinking of putting them under gov
eminent operation.
Typical Of the way the great railway
executives act was the decision of the
committee to-day to strike at the roots
of the coal problem by creating pool
of all the coal cars of all the Eastern
railways. Under the management OF
T. G.. Mirnick this pool will have cen
tralizcd control OF al the coal cars
for the purpose of using them without
regard TO ownership or route for NOV
ing cxpeditiously that so per cent OF
the coal production Of America mined
within Eastern railway territory.
Government Authority Needed
The pool becomes effective and the
pooled cars will be distributed, first,
nriority aud then to supply the cur
rent needs Of shippers in accordance
with existing regulations OF the inter
state Commerce Commission To
make the pool complete government su-
thority is needed and asked, 80 that the
railways may arbitrarily take over the
cars Of private owners.
II is believed that this radical action
will solve both the coal shipment and
the coal production problems: IT IS
confidently expected that IT will result
in such an exhibition and economy OF
transportation that mines will not have
TO curtail production for lack of cars,
and that the coal requirements Of the
nation will be met as promptly and as
fully as the capacity Of the mines viii
permit
ITS our job. it's our bit" say the OPP
Grating executives 10 the Interstate
Commerce Commissions demand for
unification Of the railways. "Unshackle
us from obsolete and uneconomical laws
and we will show you how to win the
war by transportation efficiency