The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-12-29
25O,OOO Miles of American
Railway Systems Pass I'm
der Direction of the u. S.
CLEAR TRAFFIC
is FIRST AIM
McAdoo Appoints Advisory
Board Composed of Five
Biggest r. r. Officials.
BY Associates Press.

BY Associates Press.
Washington, Dec. 2S.-At noon to-
day approximately ESQ, 900 miles OF
American railway systems silently
merged into one great contlnentai
chain for the winning of the war.
Under President Wilson's decision,
the great event, regarded by many
as the opening of new epoch IN
government operation and control OF
public utilities, passed by without
any formal ceremony.
Director General McAdoo was con-
ferring at the time with the members
of the railroads war board and Rob-
ert 8. Lovett, chairman OF the prior
ity shipment committee.
The members of the war board
all railroad executives who have
been working, within the limitations
of law, to do what the government
itself now proposes to accomplish,
pledged their support to nhe govern
ment administration, as has practlc-
ally every railroad man in the coun-
try.
Orders for the actual unification
of the lines, common use of facili-
ties and equipment, which are ex-
pected to raise the freight jam imme-
diately will be the first results.
AS the first practical step in the
governments operation of railroads,
Director General McAdoo drafted
the railroads. war board into the
government service to work out
plans of unified operation and SUBJ
nit them to him for approval
The following five railroad execu-
tives. each q leader in the business
Of transportation. viii work out the
plans for welding 250,00O miles of
railroad into one continental system
for winning the war:
Fairfax Harrison, president Of the
Southern.
julius Kruittschnitt, chairman Of
the board Of the Southern Pacific.
Samuel Rea, president of the
Pennsylvania.
Hale Holden, president of The
Burlington.
Howard Elliott, of the New Haven.
but lightly in the conference. The
railroad executives described the sit
uation to Secretary McAdoo and told
him just what they need in the way
of government guarantees and en-
couragement of security issues.
Operating problems were gone into
at length. The railroad executives
promised their fullest cooperation
in carrying out any measures the
director general may think neces-
sary.
Mr.. McAdoo said he had made no
arrangements in regard to a staff,
but the presence at the conference of
John Barton Payne. of Chicago. head
of the shipping boards legal staff,
led to some speculation that Mr..
Payne might become an assistant to
the director general.
The railroad heads were visibly in
a better frame of mind after the con-
ference than they were before talk
ing with the director.
At the conclusion OF the confer
ence with the railroad heads, Mr..
McAdoo announced that he had
called on the members Of the rail-
road war board to work out a gen.
era1 plan Of operation.
1t is Indicated that the war board
will continue as the operating board
in charge of the country's roads It
will be assisted by its numerous
committees throughout the country.
including the operating committee
of Eastern railroads, headed by A.
w. Thompson, of the Baltimore &
Ohio.
sue no orders or directions for the
sue no orders of directions for the
immediate present, but will await
recommendations of the war board
before taking any measures to clear
the congestion choking railroad ter
ninals and tracks in the east.
Whatever can be done to make
the roads more efficient" said Mr..
McAdoo. "will be done as soon as we
find out what is necessary
Tonight McAdoo issued his first
formal order designed to speed up
the freight movement, telegraphing
all railroad presidents and directors,
instructions to move freight by the
most convenient and direct route.