Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-02-22

uecreed that on account OF the lack
Vt freight cars and the impossibility
of obtaining sufficient supplies of
coal, houses. which are served from
central heating plants must not
have a temperature of more than SO
degrees Fahrenheit. All heating
plants must cease operations on
March 81. Hot water supplied by
he city to apartments is to he cut
off Immediately.
Berne. Switzerland (via Paris). Feb.
19-(By a staff correspondent OF the
Associated Press.)-A1though the most
serious of the great problems which to-
day occupy the attention OF the Ger
man leaders is the food question, Of all
most equal Importance is the situation
presented by transportation difficulties.
Until the present winter these diff
culties were felt, but were little recog-
nized, generally, as constituting a
major problem until The shortage OF
o became acute by reason OF the
lack Of rolling stock, the depreciation
spell which froze the rivers and canals.
hlndering or preventing transportation
or the most necessary foods.
Even Railroads Ready.
At the beginning of the war Ger
many had a surplus of railway
carriages. freight cars and locomotives
which a been provided especially
against emergency. In consequence
transportation in the first two years
of the war was adequate for all the I'M
usual demands made upon it, notwith-
standing the extension of the terri
tory served. The conquest Of Belgium
resulted in the capture of a compara-
lively large number of Belgian freight
cars which today may be seen every
where in Germany, Poland, Lithuania.
Austria-Hungary, Serbia and eve in
Rumania. The factories in which roll
ing stock ordinarily is produced and
repaired, however, are needed urgently
at present for other purposes. More
over the shortage of oils has madesit
impossible to keep the cars in proper
condition. Such few cars as were cap
tured in Russia have been found un-
available because they are of a q
gauge.
The German surplus deteriorating
from month to month, has gradually
gone to pieces.
Shortly before the correspondent left
Berlin, it was described by an mus
ually ~outspolien German railway Off
cial as miserable"
Food Supply Jeopardized.
From time to time passenger service
in all parts of Germany has been re-
duced until at the present time the
trains, which at this season are cold
to the freezing point, are terribly over
crowded, frequently late and seldom
complete even short journeys without
at least one hot box. Since the be-
ginning of the var the government has
proceeded on the basis that the roops
must be supplied with all kinds Of
necessities at the expense of every
thing else, and even the magnificent
German trackase system is loaded
down constantly with trains carrying
troops. supplies and ammunition. Not
only is it impossible for civilians be-
hind the front to travel without diff
Guilty, but food supplies often are
Troop Hauls Wearing.
The problem has been Increased by
the necessity OF shifting troops fire.
quently between the western and east
ern fronts to counterfeit offensive
movement Of the allies. Beginning with
last fall the canals and rivers had come
to be used more and more for the
transportation of God stuffs. partly
because boats have =, longer life than
cars. Then IN the cold which
froze everything but the largest rivers
and even stopped transportation on the
Rhine for a time. Every city in Ger
lack of horses, automobiles and other
means OF short haul transportation
This, in combination with Che stoppage
of water traffic and the great reduction
in the number of trains, a brought
trying need to the larger cities. Cen
tiers like Berlin have not had even
their scant allotment Of potatoes, fioul
and other commodities.
Women Less Efficient.
Alstria-Hungary, which is less ready
than Germany to resort to stringent
measures. refused for the time being
to consider a plan proposed by Ger
many for tightening the transportation
i prnhtnyn ~, ~no,ay,tSrw r. ,~roc,,nat.ry<
travellers from using trains ~unneces-
sarily. 1t was pointed out that the
train service might be reduced Still
further il travel were regulated by
card system. The transportation prob
lem, however, is complicated by the
chiefly m who ave been intro
duced everywhere in Germany and
: Austria, not only on railroads, but also
on street car lines in the cities. Rough
~, so per cent OF the women thus EN-
/ ployed have been strong enough to en-
t dure the strain, but even these womeT
/ have been much less efficient than the
4 men. The number Of railroad acct.
. dents, such as derailments, mistakes in
g switching and collisions. has increased
the great reduction in train service.
Car Shops Unavailable.
The arrival OF spring and warme
weather will help the situation, butsno
greatly because it win merely max,
water transportation again possible
Thorough going repairs for the re-es
Enlistment of railroad eauipmen
would be possible only by cutting dow
the output of ammunition from factor
a les that in peace times were carsfOps
blu were r~eorganixed fer war pur
poses.
n 100000 MEN FOR NAVY.
~ {AFHr - Ya.a.Ek< S&F &ELR -. w - ~
q men Is required for the British nayy
q according to the naval estimates for IN