South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-09-16

this it has been necessary 10 ac-
complish some remarkable increases
in the efficiency of operation.
Criticize New Efficiency.
There are some people who now
use such evidence Of increase in eff
cheney as a basis for criticising our
railways They say that they show
that the railways were inefhciently
operated before the war and that a
corresponding increase in efficiency
ought to have been accomplished
before we entered the war
Those who are familiar with rail-
way affairs in this country know
how utterly without foundation such
criticisms are. In the first place, it
is easy 10 demonstrate that the rail-
ways have been steadily increasing
the efficiency of their operation for
years. If they had not been, the
advancing wages prices and taxes
to which they have been subjected,
together with the kind of regulation
of rates which they have had TO
bear, would long since have bank
rupted all of them.
In the second place they never
had such an opportunity TO increase
the efficiency with which they use
their facilities as they have had
since this country entered the war.
J They have been allowed since then
| 20 operate, insofar as they have
/ found it expedient, as a single sys-
| tenn: before we entered the war
| they were prohibited from doing
| this by the Sherman law. They
/ have also been able since We entered
| the war to secure an amount of CO.
| operation from the shippers of the
country which they never were able
/ to obtain before"
Mr.. Ashton pointed out that while
! the railroads Of England are being
operated in the same manner as
| American railroads today, as a single
/ system. I'm England that action was
| required by law and each railway
/ there was guaranteed the same net
returns that it had earned before
/ the war began; while in this coun-
| try the action of the railroads was
/ purely voluntary and the govern
ment makes no guarantee whatever
! e earnings TO the stockholders.
War Heavy Drain.
'In the construction Of military
! environments today" said Mr.. Ash
ton. over $4,000 carloads of mate
/ rial have been transported 20 and
I Q, uvered at the sites-an enormous
! tax upon the already overburdened
/ railroad facilities of the country.
The railroads. however have given
/ splendid service All government
| orders have been given precedence
/ and the lumber and other supplies
| needed were rushed 10 the canton
ments i'm record time Besides the
material for the construction of
| these environments the railways have
: moved vast quantities Of other mate
/ rial for government military pur-
I poses and also very large bodies Of
4 troops They are now moving about
( $50. 600 members Of the national
guard TO the training camps. and be-
/ tween Sept.N and sept. they
moved $4,000, or approximately 8
/ percent. Of the men called in the
nrst draft. Beginning Sept 10 they
I Will begin the movement of 275. 900
/ men or 40 percent. Of those drafted.
/ On Oct. . another 40 percent. VIII
I begin TO move TO the environments.
: The government has beer put 20 no
/ serious delays or trouble in the
I handling Of these large bodies of
troops, and with the experience we
J already have had there is no reason
/ for believing that IL viii encounter
any in the handling Of those who are
vet 20 be moved"
In conclusion, AR Ashton said:
with loyal and energetic service
I from their employees. with continued
I effective cooperation from the ship
ping public. and with public sen
| timent which viii be intelligently
sym pathetic with what they are try
ing 70 do, there is no good reason
for doubling that the railways will
be able 10 accomplish the great task
which they have set before them
selves. although IL will not be &C
complished without great effort and
great sacrifice on the part Of those
connected with the railways and
those who use railway service"