The sun., 1917-02-16
Germany's New Submarine
Campaign Blamed for
Seaport Crisis.
SAILING OF LINERS
TO LIFT TRADE BAR
Lack of Coal Threatened to
Shut Down Many Fac
tories in the East.

nllroadS or the Cnlted states TOOK SUM-
mary action to-day to relieve the short
age Of freight cars and the traffic con-
gestion at Eastern seaports. again APP
preaching an acute stage because of the
curtailment Of transatlantic sailings by
Germany's new submarine campaign.
Representatives of thirty roads. at a
meeting here attended by Interstate
Commerce Commission officials, reached
"sentlemen's agreement for new
and drastic campaign of relief. including
the following measures:
Adoption of regulations tantamount
to virtual embargo on all export
shipments through Eastern ports until
q part of the vast accumulation al
ready awaiting steamships can be
cleared away.
Liberal use of IAN intelligent em-
barge on all domestic eastbound
shipments. Such an embargo already
effective on some roads may he eX-
tended.
A policy of separating empty from
loaded cars I'm the congested yards
and sending the empties back. with
sthers released by unloading, to West
srn lines in solid trainloads, ahead of
oil other traffic except passenger
trains
Eastern roads agreed to give in ad-
lition an empty car to their Western
connections for every loaded car re-
ceived.
Ties Up 100000 Bu. of Wheat.
Export traffic through the East will
remain virtually at standstill during
Tka a,,I . hon ~.
domestic traffic will be greatly curtailed
II the plans work out. The amount OF
freight for export has increased greatly
at Eastern ports because of the great
decrease in steamship sailings since the
severance of diplomatic relations with
Germany. the congestion at some East
ern yards. it was said. having become
So serious that It is extremely difficult
70 move anything. One road is reported
I" have every track crowded
There are 100000 bushels of eXpor,
wheat in Minneapolis which have
been awaiting transportation east fol
more than two months. In New Eng
land the railroad men say, there is q
threatened shortage of grain, while the
-four supply of Pittsburg, Philadelphia
New York and New England cities Is
none too large. At to-day's meeting i
was decided to move two trainloads o.
nifty cars each east from Minneapolis
daily. one laden with wheat for New
England, the other carrying flour to New
England and the three cities named.
Representatives of Minneapolis milling
interests voiced a protest at the Ions
delay In moving export wheat eastward
but when informed of the extraordinar,
efforts contemplated by the roads to pre-
vent an actual shortage of foodstuffs II
Eastern cities they withdrew their OBJ
ject!ons and promised to cooperate II
meeting domestic needs.
Food Shortage to He Averted.
The two daily trainloads of wheat ant
hour are to be given the right of way
over all other traffic. except passenger
business. Railroad officials believe tn,
pian Will succeed in averting any food
stuffs shortage in Eastern cities. Th,
embargo applying against eastboun'
shipments. II was said. will not appl'
10 foodstuffs for domestic use. which vii
De expedited as much as possible. Th'
roads also will move coal promptly L
Eastern cities and to any points wher,
shortage threatens. directing their frs
energies to keeping the lines open 70
coal and food
AS fast as sailing ocean steamer
diminish the accumulation OF freigh
awaiting export at Eastern ports tn
railroads will let down the bars of tn
tnoargo, permitting the shipment. to
'or ton. OF supplies to replace those takel
away. In this manner. II is thought. tn
Ola accumulation can be disposed of AM
Hesh shipments will await their turn.
Finding the 'mpty cars in crowde
Yards, making them into trains and des
patching them westward on fast freigh
schedules Is a task which some official
''sird as almost hcrculean. thoug
necessary If adequate relief is To b
ohtained. Some Of the roads, it is under
STOOD, have offered to place their ow
einp'les at the disposal of other road
ny harder by the general shortage an
an the roads. IT was said. will work /
close cooperation toward amelioration q
conditions throughout the country,
New Car Service Schedule.
The commission on car service. whic
mas authority to act for the America
Railway Association in relieving the ca
situation. announced tonight that Il
pan for eastward movement of grain an
Hour from Minneapolis would be carrie
Out through the following detail:
Two trains weekly. each of nfty cal
of nour, from Minneapolis to the Pitt
burg territory via Pennsylvania lin,
and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
One train weekly of nifty cars of flo,
ron Minneapolis to Philadelphia. V
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Two trains weekly, each OF fifty ca
o. hour. from Minneapolis to New YoI