Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1917-12-28
COMPETITIVE
.OPERAT|ONOF
RAILROADS To
CON- 'AOO0
First Action of Director Cen
eral VIII Be to Eliminate
Wasteful Competition of
Transportation Lines.
(By Review Leased wirel


WASHINGTON. Dec. s7.-SOon
. after American railroads 20 under
government operation az noon tomor-
row. Director General MeAdoo will
issue has fIrsl official order Wipins
cut competitive conditions and pro-
vlding tor complete pooling OF traf.
nc. equipment. terminals and track
axe facilities. and for the retention OF
present officers and employees.
The Immediate result viii be a ~
roOtinS OF traffic over shortest lines.
resSrcieSS OF the company with which
shipments originate ana The common
use Of terminals to efCect maximum ef.
uelency. Without antieipatiRx Won
gers GnGer the aew plan. officials lOOS
'SFNSrc 10 material improvement in
Sae preSen, trSffic congestion Wlthia
a few weeks.
speed movement ot freisAt viii D.,
the nrSt aim oi the director senera,.
But problems whose solution must
press close on the heels CT ac,us.
transportation questions are the
equitable reimbursement OF roads for
the use OF their property on the
basis OF pre-wSr earnings. incrcaSea
wages for railroad employees. finane-
ing Of necessary improvement. build
ing OF additional lines or facilities and
the tangled priority situation. Be
fore most OF these questions can BE-
settled. SPECIAL legislation viii be ne
ceSS&ry and To urge this President
Wilson is preparing a message 20 be
delivered to congress soon after Il
SpnvSueS after the holiday recess
asxt Thursday. Legislation slreSdy
has been drafted.
Legislation Needed.
The legislation. however. and prob
lens dependent on IL can await the
deieerStiOn OF congress. while Oirec-
tor McAdoo must get into action to-
morrow with powers ALREADY confer.
red on him by President Wilson. First
he win confer with the railroads war
board OF presidents. whose services
and advice be said today would be re-
tSined under the new administration.
Then he will oryanige = corps Of as
siStantS aud advisers. larSely OF eN>
perts Ot the interstate commerce
commission. In whose building he viii
maintain headquarters fer railroad
supervision.
Mr. NcAdCO said today he had
given almost no thought TO the per
sonnel OF his staff. and was not ptc-
pared 10 outline the details Ot his ad-
miniStration. He is determined. how
ever. 70 avoid diSrUpting any railroad
organization. or any agencies already
developed which can lend efficiency
to the new order.
Although the railroads war board.
after being in executive session all
day issued no statement commentinS
on government operation. railway exc
cutives indicatd privately they were
well pleased with the promised Situa-
ton and optimism was reflected in
the unusual rise in railroad securi
ties on stock exchanges, Hundreds
Of telegramS OF congrStClStiOn poured
in upon MT. McAdOO.
A dubious note came nom the cap
itOl where several Republican mem
hers OF congress expressed fear that
the task was too biz tor the govern
ment to handle efficiently under war
conditions and others critired the Sp-
pOintment OF Secretary McAdOo as al
rector general
The labor condition under govern
ment operation was discussed with
President Wilson dUring the day vita
heads OF the four railroad brother,
hoods. who renewed their pledge OF
LOYALTY to government administration,
They spent about one hour and
half with the president and Il Is Un-
derstOOd they received assurances
that most railway employees would
not be liable to the next or even the
second DRAFT call BY Oeing psScsd IN
the second draft classification.
Advisors Retained.
Il is considered probable that Mr.,
NcAdoO will retain the services OF
mdse Robert :. LoVett. director OF
priority for the war industries hoSrd.
with whom he conferred AZ length 10
asv. and that railroads will be IN
structed to continue to receive orders
frcm that source. Another priority
opestiop TO be settled soon is that OF
the preferential snip
ment instructions now issued oS tue
h,el and food administrations anu
srysv ouartermasters throUgh = sinsle
government transportation direet0s'
n supervise only government shlpS,
The director generals advisers have
creation OF such an
srercv. emphasizing that the severn
ment railroad administration must
ros,,fN, itself Immediately by proVia-
~