The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-27
Step Regarded as inevitable in
Orde, to Completely Relieve
Congestion During War
POOLING OF COAL
MAY ALSO FOLLOW
Government Expected to Buy
Output of Mines ,and Han
die Distribution to Industries
and Private Consumers

Washington. November 2s.--tsov-
srnment control OF railways during
me war Is pra, ticaiiy assured.
Even while the vice presidents OF
Eastern railroad prepared today TO
operate those systems as = unit it
as stated In high official quarters
that tho government must assume
harg~ of raft transportation. Sooner
or lster--ano rather sooner than later
the step is inevita BILE. ii was said
assertively. -..5
II IL highly probable that a
simultaneous step will DO Eoyerrrn emf
pooling OF Goa, Already a yell de-
fined plan ia on foot to have the
government buy UP the coal and dis
tribute Il under authority OF the fuel
administration. Preference would Re
Their given to war orders ana to indi-
ejtnsi consumers
Mar necessity would force both
these moves. The control would be
= exercised fov the duration OF the con
fsc, After peace iF declared, con-
srAssinnsi decision would be necss-
ssrt 10 continue the schemes.
r liz said in Washington. that the
further awsy the end of the war
seems 10 Dc. the mere imperative the
progress toward government control
10 prGer that everY energy OF the IA .
iior may nc conserved To the one
.rea, ere ~ winning the eight.
Under lhe national defense az. the
president is eupo wered during the
var 70 TAXA qysr and .operats S-~or
al railroads. The coal control would
20 another matter Practically every
contract ade ny coal operators eH-
nlres BY April After that time. the
severn ZEN, eeuld naeTels' tare the
nutpat st the mouth OF the mine ana
~ Operating Csssrrnitte~ Ersy.
The rAw operating dom mtttee OF The
f.r.sa.-s railway tines went ahead to-
sy si,N It's preliminary work The
sx.s session ~ the committee was
.t,o.ed to VERY bread discussion ara
sesslng preoa rstory survey of trsfTf-
angAstior in the East NJ once a
special committee VIII 60 to Pittsburs.
etere it will sit continuously unil
ne entire traffic problem produced by
ne abnormal war business In the dis
r5et east of,;he Mississippi snd north
the Potomac and fthi- rivers has
cen solved" says the offcfal state
3aat The hrs. meeting in Pittsnurs
sir re held Wednesday.
Til. committee selected by The
1ransporsation experts Will have com
ssete control OF the operation of the
railasy pool, A. " Thompson. vice.
,resic emf OF the Baltimore and Ohio
viii be the chairman. The other
members arc C.. q. Gray, president OF
re Western Maryland. A. T. Dice.
srtsident OF the Philadelphia and
reE6gnr; r. e.. Crowley. vice. rresi-
aent OF the New York Central; Elisha
rec acting vice presiden; Of the Penn
&+Ivaria lines East. G. T.. peei., vice
nres.6oat OF tire Pernsy lVaasa Nr cs
Vest. and A. J Stone. president OF
ire Erie.
one of the most potent reasons
sctuating the govern ment in advocacy
nt tie own operation of the railways is
the fact that the Sherman antI-trust
aAw stands 4 menace to pooling II
Is said IN some quarter. that the rail-
dads have received assurances that
oooling woaid not be interfsred with.
sus this IA not altogether certain.
Government In fnsfstcnt.
As sne government Is fns.stent that
tccHnEs - necessary in orSer that war
--nrk may he expedited. II thinks that
d could itself best handle the scheme
rnhout fear Of running hard against
the law again, white the railroads
Are credited with good faith IN their
nyesant move the argument Is made
that thsir distribution OF profits may
10 affected by the usual revenue Of
heir systems. and this would not be
An ideal pooling.
In okse OF government control the