Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-29
Task of Operating Them
Delegated to Railroads.
War Board for Present.
FIVE LEADING EXECUTIVES
CALLED INTO CONFERENCE
McAdoo Issues His First For
NAL Order, Designed to Speed
Up Freight Movements.
TO USE MOST DIRECT ROUTES
ImX7cdiate Measures ENpccteI 10
Remove Seine OF Obstacles
Delaying Shipments.

iBy Associated PressI
WASHINGTON. December "S--Thc
railroads OF the United states passed
into government possession at noon TO-
day az Secretary McAdoo. cs!gnatcd
by President Wilson as director-g gen
cral OF railroads. was dolcGatins to
the railroads war board inc task OF
operating them for the present
The war board. comprising live Of
tho country's foremost railroad cNccu-
tiTcs who have been Ia supreme charge
Of the roads for tho last nine months
WAS called into conference at IL
o'clock to discuss plans for welding all
transportation lines into single gov
'rnmcnt operated system. They ier
tAc Treasury Department tNo hours
later under Instructions to continue
their functions. and submit Immediately
plan OF operation TO tho director
general. The executives who are to
work ont the plans for welding go
miles OF railroad into one great conti-
mental system for winning the war
Fairfax Harrison. president oc the
Southern
Julius kruttschnitt, chairman OF tho
board of the Southern Pacific.
Samuel Eca. presidcn, Of the Penn
sylvania.
Hale Holden. president OF the Bur-
linGton.
Howard Elliott, OF the New Haven.
Tonight Mr.. NcAdoo issued his first
formal order designed TO speed up
freight movements, tniegra phns all
;ratlroad prosidrnts nnd directors in
structions to move traffic by tho mos,
convenient and direct routes. \; tho
sarnc tirno he ordered them TO continue
operation Of their lines IN conformity
with the Presidents Proclamation put
ting them under government control.
NO INDICATION As TO
!iTrIT'UD: TOWARD WAR BOARD
There was no indication tonight
whether MIR. Nc.Adoo intended eventual
ly to displacc tho war board with an
organization OF mis- own, or TO con-
tinuc its organization for tho duration
OF tho war. i made clear. how
ever. that it will continue TO function
until the director general decides that
better system can h- devised
The order that freight move by the
most expeditions routes opens the way
for Il pooling OF traffic Impossible here
tofore by reason of statutes designed
To prevent the practice by carriers OPP
Grated under private direction. II
takes fr'Sl tho shipper the right 10
route his freight as he wishes. and
leaves to the railroad traffic manager
the task of sending il most directly
and where there is least congestion.
The order follows:
Having assumed tho duties imposed
upon me by and in pursuance OF tho
proclamation of the President. dated
December % 1917. YOU Will. until o,h
erwisc ordered continue the opera
tion OF your road in conformity with
said proclaim alton. You are requested
to make every possible effort 10 in
crease efficiency aud to move traffic
b. tn. most convenient ana expeditions
routes. l confidently coun. on your
hearty cooperation. II y only through
united effort. Unstllish service and e
foctivc work that this war can l..
won and Americas future be secured
Although Mr.. McAdoo does not be-
leVe complete unihcation Of all rail
systems can be brought about over
night. even with legal restrictions lift
ed. he fully expects measures taken
under government control will remove
some OF the obstacles that now prevent
the rapid movement of freight. Mem
bers OF the war board were requested
to study tho situation and report on
any measures to relieve congestion
they think might wisely be pu. into
force.
NO PLANS FOR STAFF
by DIRECTOn-GENERtL
Thus far. the general has
made no plans for q staff. He asked
the war board to-day for comrlete
chart Of it's organization. which was
furnished tonight.
In drafting into service the war
board organization. the lirector-gcn-
eral takes over the services OF all the
boards committees. including the op-
Grating committee of Eastern roads,
headed by \. w. Thompson, OF the
Baltimore and Ohio He obtains the
services as we'll of the boards err SER
vice commission, which now IS asaist-
inS the Jnterstatc Commerce Coninis-
sion in distributing ears.
Pooling CT railroad equipment, a.
ready started by the war board will
be carried much further under govern
mont operation. Common use especial
ly will be made of terminal facilities.
and Mr.. McAdoo asked the war board
to-day for a special report on terminal
facilities and the extent to which they
may be pooled
An early measure 10 relieve consee-
ton, 1t was intimatcd tonight, will
be Il denial of transportation to nom
essential commodities. Traffic that is
CONTINUED on Seventh PaGc)