Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-28
COMPLETE POOLING
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CONTINUED from rage One)
| pre-war earnings. increased wages for
railroad employees. financing of neces-
| sary improvements, building of add1-
| tional lines or facilities and he
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. Legislation already has
been drafted.
The legislation, however, and prob
lens dependent on it a await the
deliberation of Congress, while Direc-
tor McAdoo must get into action to-
morrow with powers already conferred
on him by President Wilson. First he
will confer with the railroads War
Board of Presidents, whose services
and advice he said today would be re-
! tanned under the new administration.
Then he will organize a corps of as
sistants and advisors. largely of eX-
perts of the Interstate Comemrce
Commission, III whose building he will
maintain headquarters for railroad SUI
pervision.
Mr.. McAdoo said today lac had CIV
en- almost no thought to the person
mel of his staff, and was not prepared
to outline the details Of his admins
tration. He is determined, however,
10 avoid disruDting any railroad or
ganization or any agencies already
developed which can lend efficiency to
the new order.
r. r. Executives Appear. Satisfied
Although the Railroads War Board
after being in executive session all day,
issued NJ statement commenting on
government operation, railway execu-
tives indicated privately that they
were we'll pleased with the promised
7 situation and optimism was reflected in
the unusual rise in railroad securities
on stock exchanges. Hundreds of tele-
grams of congratulation poured IN on
Mr.. McAdoo.
A dubious note came from the Cap
itol, where several Republican mem
bers of Congress expressed fear that
the task was too big for the govern
ment to handle efficiently, under wal
conditions and others criticized the ap-
pCtntment of Secretary McAdoo as di-
rector general.
The labor questions under govern
ment operation was discussed with
President Wilson during the day by the
four railroad brotherhoods' representa-
tiVcs who renewed their pledge Of 10y
atty to government administration.
Thcp spent about an hour and a h&f
with the President and il is understood
they received assurances that most
railway employees would not be liable
to the next or ven the second draft
call by being placed in the second draft
classification.
McAdoo Makes Statement
Mr.. McAdoo tonight made his first
public utterance since his appointment
last night in q statement saying that
at least until he has time to mature MS
plans and policies railroad operation
will be conducted through existing
railroad organization.
This new task is Of great magnitude
and difficult" said Mr.. McAdoo. 1T
cannot be done in a moment, and it
cannot be done at all unless the people
Of the United States as well as the OIL
GERS and employees of the railroads give
to the railroad director their intelli-
ctHt anu pau lotiC support. i earnestly
seek the cooperation and assistance
Of every good citizen in this great work.
The operation of the railroads as a
thoroughly unified system is of funda-
mental importance to the success Of
the war. Without it, we cannot get the
effective use of our resources. The SUI
preme test in this war will probably
come in the year 1918. Victory will de-
pend upon our speed and efficiency. We
can get neither speed nor efficiency I'M
less the railroads are equal to the de-
! and of the situation.
II can only say at the moment that
the problem will be taken hold of Wig
o%rously and that plans n policies
Will be announced from time to time as
rapidly rs it is possible to mature
them. Meanwhile the business will be
conducted through existing railroad
organizations with all the support and
power Of the government asserted in
behalf of more efficient ana satisrac-
tory operation.
The director general cf railroads.
upon invitation of the Interstate Com
merce Commission has accepted of
ices in the Interstate Commerce
building. The commission has also
placed at the disposal of the director
the entire work and facilities of the
commission"
1t is considered probable that Mr..
McAdoo Will retain the services of
Judge Robert S. Lovett, director of
priority for the war industries board
with whom he conferred at length to-
day, n that railroads will be IN
structed to continue to receive orders
from that source. Another priority
question to be settled soon is that of
co-ordinating the preferential ship
emnt instructions now issued by the
fuel and food administrations and
army qu~arternasters through a single
government transportation director
to supervise only government ship
ments.
Tho director-generars advisers have
recommended such an agency empha-
sizing that the government railroad
administration must justify itself i'm
mediatels by providing for speedier
transportation Of coal. Mr.. NcAdoo
is known to have given serious
thought to the coal situation and to.
have received suggestions that a rep
resentative Of the fuel administration