El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-02-17
GERMAN Raj WAY
SYSTEM BREAKS
Rolling Stock Deteriorating
Canals Are Frozen and
Cities Lack Food.

Ber1e, Switzerland, Feb. II-Al-
though The most serious of the great
problems which today occupy th;, at
tenti0n OF the German leaders is the
food question, OF almost equal impor-
lance Is the situation presented by
transportation difficulties. Until the
present winter. these difficulties were
felt but little and were not recognized
generally as constituting major prob
lem until the shortage Of food became
more acute by reason of the lack of
LolllnE STOCK, tho deDreciatiOn of
freight cars and the sudden cold spell
winch troze the rivers and canals. hin
aerlng or preventing transportation of
re most necessary foods 10 centers
OF population
At the beginning Of the war. Ger
many mad surplus Of railway car
iiages, freight cars and locomotives.
WhicA had been provided expressly
against emergency. In consequence,
nSpOrtatiOn in the first two years
OF the war was adequate for ali the
unusual demands made upon It, not
wlthstandinS the extension of the ter
ritory served The conquest of Bel
GUM resulted in the capture OF A COM
paratively large number Of Belgium
freight cars, which today nav be seen
every where in Germany. Poland. Ii
tijuana, Austria Hungary. Servia and
even E;Umania-
Rolling Stock is Deteriorating.
me Iactorles In which rolling stock
% ls inally is produced and repaired.
now ever. are needed urgently at pres
ent ior other purposes Moreover, the
Snor LaSe or oils has made il impoS-
S.nlG TO keep the cars IN proper condi-
uon- such few cars as were CAPTURED
IN Russia have been found unavafl-
: Die because they are of broader gage.
ire German surplus, GeteriOratinZ
from month TO month. has gradually
gone 10 pieces. Shortly before the cor
respondent left Berlin II was described
ny an unusually outspOken German /
railway official as ''uisera bic
Trains Badly Overcro,rded.
from time 10 time passenger service I
IN all parts Of Germany has been re-
1uced. until at the present time, the
trains, which at this season are cold !
to the freezing point, are terribly !
1vererowded. frequently late and sell /
dom complete even short journeys I
Without at least one hot box.
Freezing Canals COmplicnte Problem.
The problem has been increased By /
The necessity Of shifting troops fire.
luently betw cen the western and east
9rn front sto counteract offensive
movements Of the allies BEGINNING
with last fail. the canals and rivers
lad come TO be used more and more
.or the transportation Of foodstuffs. I
5srtly because boats have longer
lie than cars. Then came tho cold, |
which froze everything but the largest
-ivers and even stopped transportation
N the Rhine for A time.
Cities Lack Food SUI .,Iies.
Every city In Germany had long felt
he pinch from the lack Of horses.
IA tomobiles and other means OF short
lauI transportation This. in com bin
-tiOn with the stOppage OF water traf-
&c and the great reduction in the
lumber of trains, has brought trying
iced to the larger cities Centers loke
berlin l. We not had even their scant
Ilotment OF potatoes, flour and other
commodities.
The arrival OF spring and warmer
-eather viii help the situation but
OF greatly. because IL viii merely
lake water transportation again pos
ible. ThOroughgOing repairs for the ! Z
eesta blishment CT railroad equipment
-Ould be possible only by cutting down
ne output Of ammunition from fac {
)ries which before the war were car
hops but were reorganized for war
imposes.
It's Worse in Austris-Hungary.
All that applies to Germany is ,
oubly true OF Austria and especially
Hungary. where the gradually in
reasing shortage of cars and depre-
ation Of rolling stock in general are
dded to the difficulties imposed by
ne tremendous stretches that are
ngle tracked; for instance, from
udapest all the way TO Pennsylvania.
May Reduce Travelling.
Austria Hungary, which is less ready
ian Germany to resort to stringent
easures, refuses for the time being I [
considre a plan proposed by Ger {
any for Tightening the transporta- 7
On problem by preventing prospec- s
We travellers from using trains IN 7
IS necessary. Il was pointed out
at the train service might be reduced
III further il travel were regulated g
a card system. i
The transportation problem IS com =
icated by the employment Of sub
itute workers. chiefly women, who
We been introduced everywhere in
srmany and Austria, not only on rail-
ads but also on street car lines in
e cities. Roughly 80 per cent Of
2 women thus employed have been
-Ong enough 10 endure the strain
I even these women have be n much
s efficient than the men. Il
Accidents Increasing. q
The number of railroad accidents Z.
ch as derailments, mistakes in 1 =
itching and collisio s has increased =
an alarming extent. notwithstand- =