Omaha daily bee., 1917-02-18
GERMAN TRANSPORT
SERVICE CRIPPLED
Locomotives and Freight Cars
Wearing Out Because of I'm
rsSai Demands On Them.
ALL SCHEDULES REDUCED

Correspondence of The Associated Press)
BeNc, Switzerland, Feb H,-(Via
Paris. Although the most serious
OF the great problems which today
occupy the attention OF the German
leaders is the food question, of al
mos. equal importance is the situation
presented by transportation difficult
ties. Until the present winter these
difficulties were felt, but were little
recognized generally as constituting
major problem until the shortage
OF food became acute by reason OF
the lack OF rolling stock. the deprecia-
ton of freight cars and the sudden
cold spell which irozc the rivers and
canals, hindering or preventing trans
portation Of the most necessary foods
to centers OF population,
Surplus Cars Worn Out.
At the beginning OF the war Ger
many had surplus OF railway car
riages, freight cars and locomotives,
which had been provided expressly
against emergency. In consequence,
transportation in the first two years
OF the war was adequate for all the
unusual demands made upon it, not
wi,hstanding the extension OF the Ter
ri,ory served. The conquest OF Bel
GUM resulted in the capture OF COM
paratively large number OF Belgian
freight cars, which today may be
seen everywhere in Germany, Poland
Lithuania, Austria, Hungary, Serbia
and even Roumania The factories in
which rolling stock ordinarily Is pro-
duced and repaired. however, are
needed urgently at present for other
purposes. Moreover, the shortage OF
oils has made it impossible to keep
the cars in proper condition. Such
few cars as were captured in Rus
STA have been found unavailable be-
cause they are of broader gauge. The
German surplus, deteriorating from
month to month, has gradually gone
to pieces. Shortly before the corre-
spondent left Berlin it was described
by an unusually outspoken German
railway official as miserable"
Passenger Service Decreased.
From tync to time passenger sery-
ice in all parts OF Germany has been
reduced, until at the present time the
, trains, which at this season are cold
. to the freezing point, are terribly
overcrowded, frequently late and sell
I dom complete even short Journeys
. without at least one hot box. Since
tho beginning OF the war the govern
ment has proceeded on the basis that
the troops must be supplied with all
kinds OF Necessities at the expense OF
everything else, and even the mag
, nihcent German trackage system is
, loaded down constantly with trains
carrying troops, supplies and ammu-
milton. Not only is it impossible for
civilians behind the front to travel
without difficulty, but food supplies
often are jeopardized. Centers like
Berlin have not had even their scant
allotment OF potatoes, -four and other
commodities.
The arrival OF spring and warmer
weather will help the situation, but
not greatly, because it will merely
make watar transportation again pos
sible. Thorough-going repairs for
the re-establishment of railroad equip
ment would be possible only by cut
ting down the output OF ammunition
from factories that in peace times
we're car shops, but were recognized
for war purposes.
Situation in Austria Worse.
All that nnoItea m Germany ;s
doubly true Oh Austria and especially
of Hungary, where the gradually in
creaSng shortage OF cars and dcpre-
citation of rolling stock in general
are added to the difficulties imposed
by the tremendous stretches that arc
singIe-traeked; for instance, from
points only short distance from
Budapest all the way to Transyl-
vania. Whereas the Germans in the
carly days of the war had men and
materials to reconstruct hundreds of
miles of broad gauge tracks in Russia
the process OF double-tracking lines
Of communication to Roumania, Ser
bia and Albania is increasingly diff
cult.
Austria Hungary, which is less
ready than Germany to resort to
stringent measures, refused for the
time being to consider b plan pro-
posed by Germany for tightening the
transportation problem by preventing
prospective travellers from using
trains unnecessarily. 1t was pointed
out that the train service might be
ra4aHAI xN,tt