South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-30
RAIL HEADS
PREDICT ]. s.
OW NERSHIP
Declare Public Will Never
Again Submit to COmpeti-
tive System After See
ing Benefit of New.
Associated Press Service

! Associated Press Service:
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29.-Dehnite
steps toward national unification of
p railroads and improvement of con
! gested conditions were taken today
/ by Director Gen. McAdoo in the ap-
+ pointment of q temporary staff and
! the issuing Of his first formal or
/ der directing absolute pooling of all
traffic, common utilization of ter
minals, rolling stock and other ia
| cilities. hauling Of freight by the
shortest routes and retention Of all
present officers and employees.
Special instructions were issued
| for the clearing of congestion in
! New York ard Chicago through
pooling Of terminals and other traf-
6c facilities and Alfred H Smith
| president of the New York Central,
was named temporary special as
/ sistant to supervise transportation
in the trunk line territory east Of
] the Mississippi and north OF the
| Ohio rivers, where congestion is
greatest.
| Walker d. Hines Of New York, a
railroad lawyer and for many years
| a special agent Of government Op-
. Grafton. was appointed assistant di-
| rector general pending the forma-
| ton of a permanent staff. The in
| terstate commerce commission was
drafted for an immediate investiga-
| ton by its inspectors OF general
freight conditions on eastern trunk
lines.
Deny Wage Increase.
While the director general was
comforting today with a mum Der Of
| railroad heads, interstate commerce
| commissioners and mem bers of con-
| gress were planning immediate ac-
ton TO remedy faults of transpOr-
tation. il became known that the de
mands Of the four railway brother
hoods for a 40 per cent wage in
| crease had been denied by the rail
| roads and that consequently the Ia
Dor men had decided 10 postpone for
probably so days the presentation Of
their case to the government. II
was thought probabl that Pres't
Wilson would take up the labor sit
| uation in his address to congress
next Thursday or Friday.
Congressional agencies went TO
| work today on the new railroad sit
uation. The senate interstate com
merce committee at a special hear
ing drew from Chairman Hall of
the interstate commerce commission
the statement that the governments
failure 70 centralize priority admin
istration was largely responsible
for freight congestion.
Sen. Cummins. ranking Tepubl-
I can member Of the senate inter
state committee, in conference
with Mr.. McAdoo expressed the
opinion -hat legislation 10 prescribe
the basis Of government compensa-
! ton to the roads would be passed
speedily though not without some
opposition TO the presidents sus-
eestion OF guaranteeing 20 the com
panies the average earnings for the
last three years.
Predict I. :. Ownership.
The railroad war board, whose
services have been solicited tempo
rarily by the director general. today
I presented recommendation for
! speedy moving Of freight i'm the
/ Chicago congested center and made
a number Of other suggestions for
economies and efficiency under the
new unifcation plan The railroad
chiefs freely predicted today that
the advantages Of the great non
connective system now being de
veloped would soon become SO APP
parent that the country never would
revert 10 the old plan Of private
control They even went so far as
10 predict very definitely that gov
ernment ownership as we'll as con-
troll would be a development Of
only a few years.
This attitude Of the railroad presi-
dents gave special significance TO
the first official instructions Of Di-
rector Gen. McAdoo, designated a.
order No. l." telegvaphed today
To every railroad executive head
The order follows:
Are tO Keep Places.
ALL officers, agents and en-
pIoves Of such transportation sys-
TENS may continue in the perform
ance Of their present regular duties.
reporting 20 the same officers as
heretofore and on the same terms
OF employment.
! ANY Ottlcer. agent OF tllFlVf
desiring 70 retire from HIS employ
ment shall give the usual and sea
sorable notice 20 the proper officer
20 the end that there may be 20
irterruption or impairment Of the
ia Importation service required for
p the successful conduct Of the war
: and the needs Of general commerce.
'a-All transportation systems
I covered hy said proclamation and
order shall be operated as ma
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