Evening journal., 1917-11-27
Government MAY
operate ROADS
This Alternative Seems Ger.
tain if Pool Plan
Fails
U. s. GUARANTEE
OF PROFITS ASKED

WASHINGTON. Nov 27.-Disposed to
give the Eastern railroads pooling plan
a chance and yet perceiving many rocks
ahead, government oflloials inclined yes
terday toward the belief that it viii be
necessary for the government TO take
over the nations transportation facih-
les Is unit and operate them with
he single idea and purpose Of winning
The war. ltwas declared that there are
TOO many obstacles in the way Of COM
Dlete success for a private pooling ar
,angement even with government con
.ent, TO give it the degree Of efficiency
necessary TO the achievement of the gov
srnment's aim TO win with speed The
var against Germany.
While this feeling was given express
sion by government officials, the admin
stration Of the railroad pool was in
lugurated by the committee Of operst-
ing vice-presidents, which held an all
day meeting in the headquarters Of the
Railroads War Board here. A. w.
Thompson, ce-president Of the Balti-
more and Ohio, was made chairman,
and IL was announced that the commit
Zee would establish headquarters in
Pittsburgh at once, and sit there con-
tinuously until the entire traffic prob
lem produced by the abnormal war bust
ness in the district east OF the Misslss-
ippi and north Of tho Potomac and Ohio
rivers has been solved.
No further measures for relieving the
congestion or improving the service
we're decided upon. or n they were, they
were not permitted TO become public. It
was announced officially that yester-
lays session was devoted 10 organization
and to making a preparatory survey Of
The traflc conditions in the congested
districts.
The next meeting Of the committee
win be held in Pittsburgh Wednesday.
The committee is composed Of the
following members, besides Mr. Thomp-
son.
G. r. Gray, president Of the Western
Maryland Railroad Company; Aguew 4.
Dice, president OF the Philadelphia and
leading Railway; p. f. Crowley, vice.
president New York Central; Elisha Lee,
acting vice-p president Pennsylvania Rail-
road and general manager Pennsylvania
lines east; @ L. Peck, vice-president
PENNSYLVANIA lines west and a. J. stone,
Nice-president Erie Railroad.
This committee will be In full and
complete charge OF the pool Of all lines
sithin the specified area and as one
official put II yesterday, will have as
much power as though they were in the
uniforms Of the United states army,
s.nce the pooling arrangement despite
ihe antitrust laws has the approval OF
the government, but IS TO be operated
without government participation.
The question Of railroad securities and
venues Is expected to prove q serious
problem for the committee OF Vice
presidents In its effort TO pool all the IA
cilities in the East and operate them
Us q unit. A pool Of this kind, Il is said,
cannot help but Increase the revenues
uf some roads, to the impairment OF
others. A pooling Of profits along with
90 pooling Of facilities might be also
brought about, but It Is admitted to be
fraught with difficulties.
70 was evident In Washington yester-
day, however, that, while the pooling ar
iangement is expected 10 speed w
freight movement and TO relieve 70 a
great extent the congestion on Eastern
roads, the trend toward government
operation Of all the roads and the impo-
sitlon o. the most drastic Transports
ton regulations has reached the high
places and that its advocates are close
TO President Wilson.
Conflicting State regulations OF rail-
roads would be set aside by such a gov
eminent operation. These include thl
full crew law, short train law, etc.