The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-12-29
TO SPEED UP FREIGHT.
Director General McAdoo Issues Order to
Railroads.

Washington, d. c., Dec 29.-Direeto
General McAdoo of the railroads of th'
country issued last night his first forma
order designed to speed up freight move
ment telegraphing all railroad PRESIDENT
and directors instructions to move traffic
by the most convenient and direct routes
AT the same time he ordered them tt
continue operation of their lines in con
formity with the presidents proclama
tion putting them under government con
troll
There was no indication whether Mr.
McAdoo intended eventually to displace
the war board with an organization OF
his own or to continue its organization
| for the duration Of the war. II was
made clear, however, that it will continue
to function until the director general de.
cides that better system can be de-
vised
The order that freight move by the
most expeditions routes, opens the way
for a pooling of traffic impossible here
tofore by reason of statutes designed to
prevent the practice by carriers operated
under private direction. 1t takes from
the shipper the right to route his freight
as he wishes and leaves to the railroad
traffic manager the task of sending it
most directly and where there is least
congestion The order follows:
Having assumed the duties imposed
upon me by and in pursuance of the
proclamation of the president dated Dec.
26, 1917, you will, until otherwise or
dered, continue the operation of your
road in conformity with said proclama
tion. You are requested to make every
possible effort to increase efficiency and
to move traffic by the most convenient
and expeditions routes. / confidently
count on your hearty cooperation 1t isl
only through united effort, unseltish serv-
ice and effective work that this war can
be won and Americas future be secured.
Although Mr.. McAdoo does not believe
a complete unification of all rail systems
can be brought about over night even
with legal restrictions lifted, he fully ex-
poets measures taken under government
control will remove some of the obstacles
that now prevent the rapid movement of
freight Members of the war board were
requested to study the situation and re-
port on any measures to relieve conges
ton they think might wisely be put into |
force.
Thus far the director general has made |
no plans for a staff, although it is con |
sidered likely that one of his legal as
sistants will be John Barton Payne of
Chicago, now legal adviser to Chairman
Hurley of the shipping board. He asked
he war board yesterday for a complete
hart of its organization, which was fur
lished last night.
In drafting into service the war board
organization the director general takes
,ver the services of all the boards com
including the operating commit
ee of eastern railroads headed by A. w.
Thompson of the Baltimore & Ohio. He
btains the services rs well as the boards
ar service commission, which now is as
listing the interstate commerce commit
ee in distributing cars.
Pooling of railroad equipment, already
tarted by the war board win be carried
much further under government opera
ion. Common use especially viii be
made of terminal facilities and Mr.. Me
Adoo asked the war board yesterday for /,
special report on terminal facilities
nd the extent to which they may be
ooled.
An early measure to relieve congestion, a
was intmated, will be a denial of I
TO nOn-essential eommod II
les Traffic that is considered unnec- b
ssary will be cut off, including both /
assenger and freight movement