Arizona republican., 1917-12-28
SHORTEST OF ROUTES TO
 BE USED IN EXPEDITINC
 fkEiiiSS;as!'T FEDERAL PLAN
Republican A. p. Leased Wlre1


 WASHINGTON. Dec. 27.-Soon aft er American railroads go under gov ernment opeartion at noon tomorrow, Director General McAdoo will issue his first official order wiping out com petitive conditions and providing for complete pooling of traffic, equipment, terminals and trackage facilities, and for the retention of present officers and employees.
 The immediate result will be re- routing of traffic over shortest lines, regardless of the company with which shipments originate, and the common use of terminals to effect maximum efficiency. Without anticipating won ders under the new plan, officials look forward to material improvement in the present traffic congestion within a few weeks.
 Speeding the movement of freight will be the first aim of the director general But problems whose solution must press close on the heels of ac- tual transportation questions are the equitable reimbursement of roads for the use of their property on the basis of pre-war earnings, increased wages Tor railroad employees, financing of necessary improvement, building of additional lines or facilities and the tangled priority situation. Before most of these questions can be settled, special legislation will be necessary and to urge this President Wilson is preparing a message to be delivered to congress soon after it convenes after the holiday recess next Thursday. Leg isiation already has been drafted.
 Legislation Can Await ! The legislation, however. and prob lens dependent on it can await the dellberatlon of congress, while Di- | rector McAdoo must get into action l tomorrow with powers already con l ferred on him by President Wilson.
 First he will confer with the railroads war board of presidents. whose serv-
 ices and advice he said today would
 be retained under the new administra- tion. Then he will organize corps of
 assistants and advisers largely of ex- perts of the interstate commerce com
 mission, in whose building he will
 maintain headquarters for railroad su-
 pervision.
 Mr. McAdOo said today he had given
 almost no thought to the personnel of
 his staff, and was not prepared to out
 line the details of his administration
 He is determined, however, to avoid
 dlsrupting any railroad organization or any agencies already developed
 which can lend efficiency to the new
 order.
 . Although the railroads war board, being in executive session all day, is r sued no statement commenting on gov
 ernment operation, railway executives i indicated privately they were well pleased with the promised situation I and optimism was reflected in the un-
 usual rise in railroad securities on
 stock exchanges. Hundreds of tele- grams of reorganization poured in , upon Mir. McAdoo
 A dubious note came from the capi- tol where several republican members : of congress expressed fear that the ] task was too big for the government r to handle efficiently under war condi- Q tions and others criticized the appoint t ment of Secretary McAdoo as director l general.
 e The labor condition under govern = ment operation was discussed witt | President Wilson during the day will e heads of the four railrtad brother : hoods, who renewed their pledge o l.ya'ty to government administration q They spent about an nour and a hal S with the president and it is understoo, : they received assurances that mos e railway employees would not be liabl
 to the next or ev n the second draf l. call by being place l. the second draf It classification.
 l. MT McAdoo t. igl4t made his frs q public utterance ice his appointment s last night in a dtement saying tha o at least iii has time to matur d his pl Ilicies, railroad opera e ion " ,nducted through exist
 ing railroad clasaifi ication. IT All Must Support Work l. This new task is of great magni 1t tude and difficulty" said Mir McAdoc le (Continued age Two)