The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-06-14
RAILWAYS OF the UNITED STATES
IN SINGLE SYSTEM FOR THE WAR
Under Government Direction and With European Lessons in ve
They Are Preparing to Handle Armies and Supplies Mis-
takes Of the Spanish-Amercan War Will Not Be Repeat
: ed-Ehiciency the Watchword. .>...asi

railway Office. He has appointed tts
members. He has had the power to
demand and to prescribe lower than
the normal rates for the transporta'
ton Of provisions in case OF emer'
gency. He, in connection with the up
per house of parliament may call for
the conveyance of soldiers and the ma
,terials of war.
Not long after the war began Ger
many called to the colOrs every avail
able man. This gave total Of 4,OOO,'
600 men in the field to be supplied with
food, clothing, ammunition, and every
thing needed for actual service. There
were probably 100000 horses also in
the field, and they too had to be fed
The ammunition and the guns had ia
be carried to the front by rail, and
much Of it was transported back and
forth several times. Germany's roll
road arrangements had been complete
even before the war started. A wal
timetable, revised as occasion de-
manded, has from the first been in the
possession of railway officers through
out the country, capable of being put
into force at the shortest notice. Short
strategic lines built by Germany on
the French and Belgian frontiers have
been Of the greatest Importance, and.
In addition, most of the main lines are
so located as to have the greatest eff.
ficiency for military purposes.
Every railroad car in Germany has
stenciled on it the number Of men OF
horses it Is expected to accommodate.
In Germany the world has it's most
complete example Of the State-Owned
railway. Bismarck worked for impe.
rial ownership. The foundation OF
such net as we now see In operation
was laid in 1871, when the lines OF
Alsace-Lorraine came to the empire as
a result Of the Franco-Prussian war.
In that war Germany used her seven
railway lines in the north and three
in the south, only one having double
track, to transport 16 army corps.
numbering 100000 men, to the frontier.
and accomplished the strategic feat in
II days. Today Germany has II dou.
blestrack lines grilling her. broad sur.
face, ana hesna4ners III which she has
made use of them to prosecuted the
world war has been striking e1am
plA ofsthe railroad fas Z weapon for
offensive as well as defensive opera
ton. ,Eg.s,rry : <ss ~, .s,i3
# Cut Passenger Service. s'sj
One OF the FIRST changes necessary
for American railroads to make. &C.
corling to men who have given m0et of
tAeiEthought. to- thu. situation SINCE our
tr0ubh with Germany, threatened, ia
the: cuftailing Of the PASSENGER serv.
ice. Probably no other means avail.
able. says one authority, can be used
more effectively to conserve the re.
sources of the railways Of the United
States. H. ~ q" 81, Il : s&'' .ssssf.Ss.&
The committee issued n6rder q few
days ago which said in eject: email
cases keep freight cars3inoving and set.
tie differences sof opinion afterward."
This was the first important step of
the railroads in carrying out their
pledge of April II that during the war
with Germany they would coordinate
their operations in continental rail-
way system In the effort to produce a
maximum Of national transportation
efficiency. 49,
Already the roads are operating as
a unit in the interest Of national de-
Tense, and the detailed recommended
tons of the board. worked out. after
exhaustive conference, from the pro
gram by which the administration ex-
poets to bring to a basis Of war eff.
fciency every portion Of the 10000
miles Of railways which make up the
greatest national transportation sys'
tenn In the world.