Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-12-28
war BOARD
CONTINUED from Page one)

before some one awoke to the fact
that the hour had passed"
The great American railroad, leased
and operated by the United States gov
came into existence at noon
today.
War freight has the right of way
henceforth.
simultaneously the railroad war
board. consisting of leading rail exc
cutives, conferred with Director Gen
eral McAdoo regarding details of OPP
erations to follow transfer of their
lines.
This was the only feature marking
the most important step the president
has taken since mobilizing an army for
the war. On the transportation sys-
tenn of the country depends largely |
what will happen to the kaiser In 1918, |
McAdoo says. And upon McAdoos adj
of the roads under federal
control depends eventual government
ownership, politicians declare.
TAKES UP GREAT TASK.
In a little office off those occupied
by members of the interstate commerce
commission, today McAdoo took up his
great work.
His first order is expected to call for
pooling Of all freight, equipment, ter
minals, etc, that may contribute 70
immediate relief Of freight congestion.
Hereafter shipments will not be con-
fined to any one line, but to the one
great system war freight will be given
precedence over all other traffic.
McAdoos intentions, pending enact
ment of needed legislation by congress-
are to disturb present operation of the
railroads as little as possible. He will
direct through existing agencies tenn
porarily. But meantime he is drawing
plans for highly centralized business
organization, the fabric of which was
officially outlined to the United Press
today as follows:
THE RAILROAD ORGANIZATION.
w. G. MeAdoo is director general and
the single controlling head. assuming
all powers and all responsibility.
An assistant director general in
personal advisory capacity to the direc-
tor general. This man will be man
of broad railroad and financial expert
ence, though not officially connected
with any railroad to be buffer" be-
tween railroad interests and the direc-
| tor general. John Shelton Williams,
former president of the Seaboard Air
line and present controller of the cur
rency, is mentioned for this post.
Three chiefs, on whose shoulders will
fall the actual operation. These will
| be director Of operations, a director
of traffic and a director Of finance.
PHYSICAL OPERATION.
The director of operations will be the
man told to get cars rolling in the most
efficient, economic and practical man
ner regardless of any interests except
those of the public and the paramount
one of winning the war. He would
enforce the vast pooling of rolling
Il stock, terminals and other equipment
made possible by government admins
tration. In short, all problems of ac-
tual physical operation will be up to
this man. subject. of course. to direc
ton of Director General McAdoo.
In view of his duties, this man, II
4 was regarded a certainty. will be some
prominent. broad visioned railroad OPP
orator. Several including Daniel Will
lard, president of the Baltimore e. Ohio
Hale Holden, president of the Bur-
lington, and Fairfax Harrison. presi-
dent of the Southern, are mentioned
The director of traffic, 1t is presumed
will regulate priority and direct move
ment of az freight, -ordinating with
the director of operations.
COMPENSATION FEATURE.
!, The director of finance win handle
the fiscal adjustments between the
: road owners and the government, un
der provisions of the legislation con-
gress will pass at the presidents re-
quest. In addition to working out the
equitable compensation or rental The
government will pay the roads; it i.
presumed he will also attend to tht
payroll of the million railroad workers
who will have a new boss in the soy.
ernment. Matters of investment o
government moneys in road improve
n,tnts and added rolling stock; aud o
disgusting of any excess earning III
; government may make, also are ex
pected to come under him.
Below these three sub-heads. highl!
centralized working organizations will
gradually be evolved. utilizing presep
railroad organizations as far as Il
compatible with the plan of divorocini
private interest from the management
: This plan given today as the prob
able and logical arrangement, 1t wa
emphasized, may not be wholly adopt
ed at the outset
TO ACT CAUTIOUSLY.
Director General McAdoo announced
the first steps will be taken cautious
ly to avoid sudden Establishment o
traffic. Existing organizations. toe
must be weighed that every positive
force may be utilized in the recon
struction.
Legislation to be asked of congress
Immediately after the recess, besides
! defining the fiscal relationship of tn
: plan, will provide for transferring I,
Uncle Sans payroll the one million
odd railroad workers. for creating
wage adjustment board or director, ant
probably for the prevention of strikes