Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-16
RI a StdH Correspondent


,,rted states has gro Il so enormously IN
,,s Ave months since war was declared
,s., the railroads now find themselves un.
ar. 10 move it. This admission was made
today BY Fairfax Harrison, chairman, In
h.,.lf Of the Railroads War Board, formed
At the outbreak of the war to coordinate
the energies and facilities of all the rail.
roads in the country.
Mr. Harrison sounded a note of warning
that probably the railroads soon will be
unable 10 provide transportation for all
classes Of commodities which they have
been moving, and declared in n formal state.
ment that the time is almost here when the
railroads will be compelled to distinguish
In transportation between the things that
are essential and things that are not es.
sential.
"The Railroads War Board has, there
fore, furnished to Judge Lovett. the Gov
ernment director of priority. and Doctor
Garfield, the Government fuel admnistra-
tor. at their request, list compiled by a
committee Of railway traffic officers show
Ing commodities the transportation of which
is regarded as nonessential under present
conditions" says Mr.. Harrison. "One part
Of this list is made UP of about 450 COM
modities whose transportation II Is be-
neved could be dispensed with without any
considerable inconvenience to the public.
SOME WOULD CAUSE INCONVENIENCE
Another part contains about seventy-fve
commodities which it Is believed the public
could dispense with, but not without incon-
venience. 1t is for the priority director and
the fuel administrator to determine how
many Of these commodities shall be denied
transportation
I'VE have doubt If nonessential COM
modities are eliminated" Mr.. Harrison goes
on, 'the railroads can transport all commod-
ties required by the Government in carry
ing on the war. and by the people for their
subsistence and comfort Furthermore
those responsible for the operation of the
railways do not wish TO he understood az
conceding that the transportation lines have
reached the limit of their capacity. They
are still increasing the amount of traffic
they are handling. and with greater exer-
else OF skill and energy by railway officers
and employees and increased cooperation
from the shipping public and Government
ofcials. including the regulating authori-
ties. the freight service rendered can still
be largely augmented.
II The Railroads War Board is issuing to
+
public detailed suggestions in addition to
uose already made. as 10 methods by which
mis- result can he accomplished. and we
nave no doubt that these will be received
ana acted upon as similar suggestions here
torore made have been.
The difficulties with which the rail-
ways were confronted at the beginning OF
the war was very great. Some Of these have
been overcome. The increase during the
nrst hve months of the war of 16 per
cent In freight traffic handled. with vir-
tually no increase In locomotives. was
equivalent 20 the addition of 5000 locomo-
tlves and 100000 cars to the number in
service. The difficulties confronting
the railways are even greater than those
they faced at the beginning Of the war.
Il CAN'T GET ENOUGH MEN
They cannot get anywhere near all the
men they need they have lost many Of
their most efficient officers and employees
because Of their enlistment in the service
Of the Government or for other reasons. and
the new men. of course, are not as efficient
1 those we have lost. 1t is impossible for
4 the carriers to get the materials and new
equipment they need. because 1t Is thought
by those in authority that the national well.
fare demands that the output of the iron
and steel mills and Of the railway equip
ment concerns be devoted to other pur-
poses.
II Great. however. as are the difficulties
a
their efforts to render adequate service we
a believe that II the Government and the
public will be patient and will continue to
give the management of the railways their
/ cooperation most Of these difficulties will
be overcome"
In explaining the reason for the traffic
congestion Mr.. Harrison says the statistics
now available show that In the months OF
April to August, 1917. inclusive-the first
nve months after the United States entered
the war-the railroads handled 16 per cent
more freight traffic than In the same months
OF 1916, which } ar broke al records up to
that time The traffic handled In those five
months Of 1917 was 80 per cent greater
than that moved In the same months OF
isi5. and. In fact, exceeded the total traffic
moved In any entire year prior to 1904.
Perhaps the most remarkable figures are
tnose regarding the movement Of coal" Mr.
harrison goes on. "In the six months
May to October, inclusive-there' were
moved 100000 more carloads Of anthracite
than In the same months of 1916, an In.
crease OF IL per cent, and 751 100 more car.
ioads Of bituminous and Ignite coal than
N the same six months Of 1916, also an in
N crease OF Is per cent
"A total Of 10000 carloads of freight
nave had to be hauled to the Natlona: Army
ana National Guard camps and up to the
Time Of the last report more than 1900
Ssioads OF freight had been handled for the
Shipping Board.
"A Al. another important phase Of the situa.
t Won 10 which attention should be called Is
MAI the railways this year have had to
IIshole the largest passenger BUSINESS ever
xnown This has been a serious obstacle
eued reductions In train service. In
N ,suon' between August 1 and November
4 tney transported 1900, 900 soldiers to
shing camps, cantonments and points Of
4 v",.a v",uaIkation. This troop movement In.
c.;l trains. ''' INV ''N
ana ~ course, this large passenger traffic
tsr. uocp movements have complicated mat.
~ ana increased the difficulty OF moving
4 Ara uvsnt s,s,,st traffic. Large troop movements
mo,," sun being made and the railways are
sng to the training camps and canton.
npntS ABOUT $4,000 carloads of supplies a