The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-12-28
MEMBERS OF
RAILROADS
WAR BOARD
ARE DRAFTED
McAdoo Makes Five Trans
portation Leaders Govern
ment Agents to Run Sys-
TENS for War.
TO WELD THEM ALL

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2S.-As the
first practical step in the governments
operation OF railroads which began a:
noon today, Director General McAdoo
drafted the railroads war board into
the governments service to work out
plans Of unified operations and sub
NIT them to him for approved.
The following five railroad execr-
tives, each leader in the business OF
transportation, will work out the plans
for welding two hundred and fifty
thousand miles of railroad into one
great continental system for winning
the war:
Fairfax Harrison, president of the
| Southern Railway;
Julius Kruttschnitt, chairman of the
| board of southern traffic;
! Samuel Rea, president Of the Penn
sylvania;
Hale Holden, president of the Bur.
| lington:
| Howard Elliott, Of the New Haven.
| To Await Suggestions
! Director General McAdoo WILL Issue
no orders or directions for the i'm
mediate present but will await rec
| concentrations of the war board be-
fore taking any measures TO clear the
congestion choking railroad terminals
| and tracks in the east.
/ Whatever can be done - make the
railroads more efficient" said Mr.
/ McAdoo. will be done as soon as we
find out what is necessary
Mr.. McAdoo announced that he had.
called on the members of the railroad.
war board to work out a general plan
Of operation.
At noon, the hour fixed by President
). Wilson's proclamation for effecting
governmental possession, Secretary
McAdoo, the new director of railroads,
was ready with his first official order
designed to pool all traffic. equipment
and terminals to relieve the conges-
ton which has gripped the country.
since the outbreak of the war
The immediate result Of the order
will be to wipe OUT competition and
re-route traffic over the shortest lines.
Shipments will move directly to their
destination, regardless of the company
with which they originate, and ter
minals will be used in common to
effect maximum efficiency. Speedy
movement of freight will be the first
aim of the director general.
Old Men to Stick.
In statement issued last night.
: no thought to the personnel OF his
staff, but made it clear that until his
= plans mature, railroad operation will
organizations
; Retention of present railroad Off
GERS and employees seems assured, but
indications are that the huge salaries
, of railroad executives will be reduced.
: and wages of operatives increased.
| President Wilson conferred with chiefs
of the four railroad brotherhoods and
, received their pledge of loyalty
to government administration. The
brotherhoods have demands for 20 per-
cent wage increases pending with the
railroads, but the governments defin-
ite attitude in this matter has not been
disclosed. 1t is understood President
Wilson assured the brotherhood chiefs
that railroad employees would not be
called in the next or even a second
draft
Has No Definite Plans.
Retention also of Judge Robert S.
: Lovett, director Of priority for the war
industries board is considered likely.
AS the result of yesterdays confer
ence between Judge Lovett and Direc-
tor McAdoo, railroads probably will
receive instructions to continue to
take orders from the priority director.
Appointment of a government traffic
manager to supervise only government
shipments and coordinate with IN
structions nov issued by the food and
fuel administration and the quarter
masters corps has been recommend
} ed to the director general and menn-
! ber of the fuel administration may be
added to Mr.. McAdoo's staff.
Other problems confronting the gov
ernment are the reimbursement OF
roads for the use of their properties
ON the basis of pre-war earnings, f.
: RANGING the necessary improvements
3 and the building of additional lines.
, Special legislation, which already has
been drafted along the lines suggest
ed In President Wilson's statement.
accompanying his proclamation, viii
J be required to settle these questions
i. Governments Obligation.
;. II congress follows the president 8
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