The Washington times., 1917-03-08
ROADS DENY BLAME
FOR FOOD SHORTAGE
Car Service Commission Issues
Sweeping Denial of All
Responsibility.

The railroads OF the country are in
no way responsible for food shortage
in any locality Or for increased prices
because of lack of transportation for
food products.
A sweeping statement to this effect
has been issued by the Car Service
Commission of the American Railway
Association, in a general denial of
railroad responsibility for high
prices. The statement says:
AT no time has there been any
shortage of cars for shipments of
foOdstuffs generally. In no Way has
the increase in the cost of food been
affected by a shortage of freight cars
in which to haul the food.
THE Commission on Car Service
of the American Railway Association,
cooperating with the Interstate Com
merce Commission, has been sitting
in Washington since the latter part
of November, and at no time has any
complaint been received which would
indicate that there was a shortage
Of food anywhere in the United States.
Depletion in Flour Reserve.
at has been claimed by representa-
tives of Western grain and flour mer-
chants that there was a depletion OF
the normal reserve supply OF flour,
and of grain for animal consumption.
in some places in the East. principally
in New England. The Commission on
Car Service met this emergency by
asking the trunk line railroads to send
trainfoads of empty cars to Minneapo-
lis for grain and flour for domestic
consumption. and to give the move
ment of this freight eastbOund prefer
ence over other traffic. In the past
week upward of a thousand cars
have been sent to Minneapolis and
other cities in the Northwest.
r'There has not been a shortage of
flour and grain as a result OF freight
congestion and car shortage. There
is comparatively little wheat for do
mestic use awaiting eastbound ship
ment at Chicago. There is an accu-
mutation of corn and oats, and a very
large part of 1t for export.
There has not been any shortage
of cars for shipments of dressed
meats and packing house products.
AS a matter of fact the packers for
the most part own their own cars, and
control their movement entirely.
Vegetables Not Affected.
"The movement of vegetables has
not Deen dHeCleO IN any way DIV car
shortage. There has been nothing be,
fore the Commission on Car Service
even mentioning a shortage of cars
for shipments of butter, eggs. sugar,
lard, onions. cabbages, chickens, cof-
fee, rice, prunes, live stock. oatmeal,
and the many other food commodities.
EARLY in December there was a
shortage OF cars for moving the Maine
potato crop. That emergency was
taken care OF. through the efforts of
the Commission on Car Service. and
today potatoes cost about as much in
Maine as they do in New York city.
ut has been the practice of rail
roads to exempt from embargOes food
products for domestic consumption,
fuel, Government shipments, and
newsprint paper. To make sure.
however, that no such embargoes are
in effect now or may be placed later,
the. Commission on Car Service has
today teIegraphed the large railroads
asking that no embargoes on food
products be placed or be permitted.
THE freight congestion has been
greatly relieved in the past week,
owing to the mild weather that has
prevailed generally. Empty cars are
being moved West, where they are
needed, and the situation at Pitts
burgh, Buffalo, Columbus. and other
interior points is showing much i'm
provement"