Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-29

tives Of the War and Navy depart
ments.. the shipping board. the fuel
land food administrations and the
Federal Trade Commission.
Legal phases of government opera
ton have been studied carefully by the
legal bureau. headed by Joseph w. FOLK
chief counsel of the commission, and
many questions remain to be threshed
out between the railroads and the gov
| eminent administration before a smooth
| working plan is developed.
The Interstate Commerce Commission
| has nearly 1900 employees, including
several hundred experts on specialized
lines of railroad matters, in it's Wash
ington headquarters, and nearly 1900
are distributed throughout the coun-
try. This big staff will be placed at
disposal of the director general and
carry out any orders he may issue.
Director General McAdoo will move
slowly in exercising the powers the
President has conferred upon him. The
| fact that he has conferred with John
Barton Payne and with Stuart Glib
honey has given rise to the general
impression that these will be two men
chosen for his staff of railroad advis-
ers. No announcement has yet been
made about the personnel of his staff.
So far the only instructions upon which
the railroads have to work under. govern
ment control are the presidential procla-
nation and a statement last night from
Mr. McAdoo. which said:
Having assumed the duties imposed
upon me by and in pursuance of the
proclamation of the President, dated
December IS, 1917, you will until other
wise ordered continue the opera ton of
your road in conformity with said
proclamation. You are requested to make
every possible effort to increase ef1cfen-
cy and to move traffic by the most con-
venient and expeditions routes. / con-
fidently count on your hearty co-opera-
ton. 1t is only through united effort,
unselhsh service and effective work that
this war can be won and Americas fu-
ture be secured.
The principles thus announced permit
wide latitude OF Interpretation, and.
pending more SPECIFIC instructions, the
railroad heads are depending largely
upon the railroads war board tor IN
depreciation of the governments de-
sires Such Interpretation may either
come any time now from Mr.. McAdoo
or in the form of recommendations to
the roads from the railroads board.
May Be Moved Quickly.
One step which is clearly indicated is
quickest and shortest route. irrespec-
tive of the route to which it was con-
signed, and roads today are making use
of this expedient to relieve congestion.
An early relief in the matter or
crowded freight yards, where cars and
tracks are wasted because of delay in
unloading on the part of consignees.
is looked for. Requests from railroad
to unload cars now will be re-
garded by consignees as having ring
of government authority, it is believed,
and it is possible that in certain large
cities, including Washington. freight
directors may be appointed through the
director general to expedite this unload
ing.
The railroads war board members
and subofficials today continued to is
sue routine orders. working along the
same lines they had been working as
voluntary cooperative body. The
car service commission and the operat-
ing committee in Pittsburgh went
about their business as usual, and will
continue to do SO until further orders.
Gradually the railroads board will
be supplanted by the administrative
staff which Mr.. McAdoo will build up.
though some or all of its members
may become part of the director
generals organization. Likewise the
boards subsidiary agencies may be
taken over by either Mr. McAdoo or the
Interstate Commerce Commission or be
performing similar tasks. ''s"-'@ : 60 A''S y
Methods by which the government
will raise the funds to reimbur roads
when they fall short of the earnings
which will be guaranteed by legisla-
much speculation. Two courses are
open-payment of the deficit out of
the Treasury or increases in freight
rates, which would take care of the
added expenses of more efficient opera
ton. Railroad men naturally favor
the latter. since that would leave the
ROADS better able to handle their own
finances when they are turned back to
private operation after the war.
There is no strong sentiment SO far
for free hauling of government freight.
the plan adopted in Great Britain when
that country assumed control of the
railroads.