Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-11-27
ALL LINES EAST OF CHICAGO TO
COME UNDER POOL
ING AGREEMENT
WORK TO BE DIRECTED
FROM PITTSBURGH OFFICE
War Board Places Committee OF oper-
atina Vice President in Full Charge,
Subject to Federal Supervision-Plan
Means Practically Government OPP
eraticn.

Washington, Nov. 2T-Pooling Of
all facilities Of railroads east of Chica-
go, decided upon Saturday by the
railroads war board after a confer
ence with war officers OF the govern
nlent will be directed from Pittsburgh
by a special committee of seven rail-
road officials.
Operating vice presidents of the
thirty eight major eastern railroad
systems met here today in response
= the call from the war board and
appointed the committee which Will
have direc: charge of the consolidated
operation OF tire big systems with
View to meeting the extraordinary war
transportation demands.
A. W Thompson. vice president OF
The Baltimore and Ohio. was made
chairman OF his operating committee
The other members are: G. r. Gray,
president Of the Western Maryland;
a. T. Dice. president OF the Philadel-
phia and Reading: P. z. Crowley. vice
president OF the New York Central:
Elisha Lee, acting vice president OF
the PENNSYLVANIA lines east: G. l.
Peck. vice president OF the Pennsyl-
van!a lines west. and A. J. Stone, vice
president Of The Erie.
Placed in Full Charge.
This committee Will De in tUtI
Cha-ga OF the operation Of the railway
pool said an official announcement o'
the railroads war board issued last
night The committee will establish
headquarters in Pittsburgh at once.
and Will sit continuously until the en-
ire trafti, problem produced by the ao-
normal war business in the district
east Of the Mississippi and north OF
the Po-onac and Ohio rivers has been
solved
"Todav's session OF the committee
was devoted 70 the organization and
making 4 preparatory survey Of the
traffic conditions in The congested dis
tr!ct. The next meeting Of the COM
nl.ttee viii be held in Pittsburgh on
Wednesday"
Reduce Derurrage Time.
While the railroads officials directed
TO perfect the big railroad pool were
IN session here today Washington was
filed with revivals Of rumors OF forth
coming government operation OF trans
po-tat!on lines and reports OF probable
railroad legislation in the next con-
gress, Another I'm portant development
came from the interstate commerce
commission in decisions reducing de-
murrage time allowances on loaded
cars at the principal Atlantic ports.
At the new lighterage terminals load
81 q
the wards only two days instead OF
FIVE. as heretofore and demurrage
charges will begin on the third day.
In other ports the demurTage time
was reduced from fifteen TO ten days
and from ten 10 seven days according
70 the terminal conditions and iacil- |
tiles.
Practically U. S. Operation.
Inasmuch as representatives Of all
the government war boards partic!-
pated In the pooling conference Satur-
dav. inference is drawn that the presi-
dent has sanctioned the pooling plan
Of the eastern railroads and that the
government does not propose TO take
any drastic meas ure.s tending toward
actual government operation OF the
lines unless the pooling system preahs
down. In fact. 1t is argued. that the
eastern railroads under the proposed
pooling system are practically under
government operation, inasmuch as
everything that will be done by the
railroad experts, who would have TO De
called upon to do the operating work
even in the event OF the governments
taking over the roads, Is to be done in
rfSipialS ~ thG gov
eminent in charge OF war departments.
Actual government opeyation which
is being urged in some Quarters will
require legislation for 1-hiN there may
be agitation when congress meets o.
flcials closest in touch with the SIT
uation however, are inclined to the
view that the government is getting
as close to railroad operation as ii can
conveniently undertake in such a crisis
without going further and assuming
ownership OF the roads as well.
Face Tremendous Task.
The pooling committee obviously
has a tremendous task on its hands
and It's work undoubtedly will result
in a curtailment of comforts and con-
venience for the travelling public.
Among steps TO he taken will be cur
tailment of Passenger travel, revision
Of mail train service, embargoes on
transportation Of luxuries. and cur
ta!lment of the shipment OF nom essen
tiais.
Some Of the railroad men said that
It may be necessary, in order to operate
the pooling system most expedtiously,
to appeal to the states for waivers on
some Of the state regulations which
would hamper the operating committee
in its work Of welding 30 many sys-
| TENS into one In this they hope TO
have the corporation Of the state gov
ernments as they now have Of the fed
eral government
Assurances have been given that
there will be no federal interference
| with the work Of the operating COM
| mittee because Of the extraordinary
! demands Of the hour. In peace tine
such pool could not be permitted I'M
der the antitrust statutes but the
| interstate commerce commission wae