Bisbee daily review., 1917-12-30
GoUernmentO Ownership Freely
Predicted As Result of Order
Communicating the Railroads
First Steps Toward Eliminat-
ing Competitive Wasteful-
ness In Transportation are
Taken by Authorities.
CRy Review Leased Wirel

WASHINGTON. Dec. 29.-Definite
steps toward national unification OF
railroads and Improvement OF cOngest-
ed conditions. were taken today BY
Director General NcAdOO in the ap-
pOintment OF a temporary staff and
the issuing OF his first formal order
directing absolute pooling of all traffic.
common utilization OF terminals. roll
ing stock and other facilities. hauling
OF freight by the shortest routes. and
retention Of all present officers and
employees
Special instructions wee issued for
the clearing OF congestion in New
York and Chicago through pooling OF
terminals and other traffic facilities.
and Alfred H Smith. president OF the
New York Central. was named TEN
pOrary special assistant 70 supervise
Transportation IN the trunk line terri
tory east Of the Mississippi and north
Of the Ohio rivers. where congestion Is
greatest
Assistant to Hckdoo
Walker D. Hines. Of New York. rail-
road lawyer and for many years z
special student OF government opera
ton. was appointed assistant director
general pending the formation of a
permanent staff The interstate com
merce commission was drafted for an
immediate Investigation BY its inspec-
Tors of general freight conditions on
eastern trunk lines
While the director general vas con-
ferriaS with 4 number OF railroad
heads. interstate commerce commits
sioners and members OF congress-
and planning immediate action TO
remedv faults Of TRANSFORMATION. IL be
came known that the demands of the
four railroad brotherhOOds for a 30
per cent wage increase had been de
MED by the railroads and that coase-
Ouently the labor men had decided to
postDOne for probably so davs the pre-
sentatiOn OF their case 10 the govern
rnent II vas thought probable that
President Wilson would take NJ the
labor situation IN his a1dress 10 con
gress newt Thursday or Friday
Congressional Action
Congressional agencies went 10
work today on the new railroad situs-
ton The senate interstate commerce
committee At a special hearine drew
from Chairman Hall. Of the interstate
n
that the governments failure 10. cen
tralize priority administration was
largely responsible for freight conses-
ton
Senator Cummins. ranking reuubli-
can member OF the senate interstate
commerce committee. in a conference
with M NcAdOo. expressed the Opin-
ion that legislation 10 prescribe the
basis OF government compensation 70
the roads would be passed sneedilv
though not without some opposition to
the presidents suggestion Of suaran-
teeing TO the cnmpanies the average
earnings for the last three years
The railroad war board. whose serv-
ices have been solicited temuorarilv
by the director general. today pre-
sented recommendation for speedy
moving Of freight in the ChicagO con-
gested center and made a number Of
Other suggestions for economies and
efficiency under The new unificatiOn
plan The railroad chiefs freely pre-
dicted tOdav that the advantages Of
the great nCn-c0mDetitive system now
being develoDed would soon become so
apparent that the country never would
revert TO the old plan Of private con-
trnl
They even went so far as to predict
very definitely that government
ownership as well as control would be
a development Of only 2 few years.
Order Number One
This attitude Of the railroad DreSi-
dent gave special significance TO the
first official instructions Of Director
General NeAdoO DESIGNATED as Order
No l. teIegraphe5 today TO every
railroad executive head The order
follows
4 All officers. agents and en-
plOyes of such transportation systems
nav continue IN the performance Of
their present regular duties. reporting
10 the same officers a heretofore and
on the same terms of employment.
- Anv officer. agent or ennlove
desiring 70 retire from his emplOv-
ment shall give fhe usual and season
able notice 20 the proper officer 10
tire end that there NAV he no inter
runtion o. imDairrnent Of the transDO--
tatiOn service required for tho success
ful conduct Of the var and the needs
OF General commerce
- All transportation svsterns CIV
cred bv said reclamation and order
shall Re operated as a national sys-
TEN Of t-s1SDor-ation- the common
and national needs heinC in all in.
stances held paramount IN anv actual
or supposed corporate advantage AU
terminals. porfs. locomotives. rOllinr
stock and other TRANSFORMATION facili
ties a-e to be fully U'iliyed 70 carrv
ont this purpose without REGARD N
ownership
II TIE a=s'rnation of -nu-es Nv
.hfnoe-z 20 he dis-eraripd when sneef
and efficiency of transportation Serv
- fee nav fhus he nrCu1~-ed-
"5 Traffic agreements hefwea-
carriers -7rsf not hs nernifted - in
fe-Fere 9TH expeditions movements
s. Through routes which have not