The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-03-07
RAILWAYS At NATIONS SERVICE
TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS OF
WAR DISCUSSED.
Heads of Roads to Perfect COopera4
ton Details With Commanders Of
COuntry's Military Departments.

Washington, March Heads OF
the country's leading railroad systems
met here today with the council Of
national defense to approve plans
for giving the government the full
cooperation of transportation interests
In the event of war. Tonight they
We're returning home to work out CO.
operation details with commanders Of
the country's four military departs
ments The more than 20 executives
present comprised a special COMMITTEES
OF national defense Of the American
Railway association and with them
met the committee of national de-
tense of the American Electric Rail-
way association.
After call on Secretary Baker, the
railroad men heard army officers on
transportation problems and then dis
cussed the situation among them
selves. Next to the number and size
of guns, Secretary Baker told them
the transportation problem in war is
the most important the military will
face. OF the country's state of de.
fense he said:
I'VE have gone on in this country
for long time in the somewhat com.
placent assurance that the Atlantic
ocean is 5000 miles wide, the Pacific
$1,000 or something like that, and that
we are separated by nature as well
as by traditions and our own desires
from any sort of difficulty. But we
have grown lot wiser in the last few
years on that general subject, and
while I am quite sure that you re.
gard the state of peace as most de.
sirable. we are, nevertheless, concern
ed as to the means Of accomplishing
its continuance.
Congress and the president have
enacted legislation that creates the
council Of national defense and it's
purpose is to survey and coordinate
all the material and personnel re-
sources Of the country so that It will
be ready to turn its strength and its
forces to anything that may be needs
ed for national defense.
Referring to the movement Of the
guardsmen to the Mexican border.
the secretary said:
"Our problem there was to get 15o..
600 across this country from various
parts Of the country and to bring
them together on a front 1900 miles
long. If we were suddenly put to
the problem of moving an army OF
100000 from one coast to another.
or to assemble so large a body of
men as that in a relatively smaIf
place, the question of capacity of
tracks, the capacity of sidetracks and
terminals. and the capacity of cars
and the amount of power necessary.
the way in which everything would
be assembled and the effect on the
country of the sudden mobilization
| ~oS " Ps'iC VI Tie TOllQE SCOCk
Facilities of the railroads I'm this nm.
accustomed use--the jamming that
would occur-arc all problems of high,
strategy in an art of which you gem
tiemen are matters and of which we
Know only as observers or users OF
these facilities.
| / have q feeling that in some parts
or the country very much enlarged
terminal facilities ought to be car
ried out. larger than the present COM
mercial and industrial neds, with an
eye to their future use in an emer-
gency. 1t is possible that a large
store OF reserve material should be
accumulated with a view to its being
available for instant use in time of
emergency"
The army officers outlined problems
10 be faced in event of a general
mobilization and pointed out a need
OF equipment that could be used for
hospital and Red Cross trains.