New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-23

wear WICdtH'
One of the earliest fruits OF our
participation in the war has been the
achievement of national system OF
railways, co0rdinated, unified, vast
being with an intelligent head.
A nationalized railway intelligence
was essential to successful war mob
ilization. This was Immediately per-
ceived by the Washington Admins
tration, by the railroad executives
and by those economists who know
transportation to be the very life
current, the nerve ramiication as
we'll as the arterial and the venous
system of the social organism.
The numerous semi Independent
railroad ganglions served in relaxed
peace times, but a central railroad
consciousness has been developed for
war by the intense exigency Of the
hour. The remarkable transforma-
ton has been accomplished voluntari-
ly by the railroad executives. The
Federal power touches lightly upon
the Railroads War Board, which,
chosen by the railroads themselves,
performs with apparent ease a gov
erning function second in dimensions
only TO that Of the national govern
ment itself.
A Merging Of
Competitors Activities
In April and in May there were
prospects and prospectuses of what
the railroads could do and would do
in the way Of unified action, of
economy in operation, of efficiency in
freight hauling and so on. Some of
these hopes have been unfulfilled, but
the accomplishment of the Railroads
War Board, taken as a whole, pro-
claims Americans to be capable of
organized efficiency in the highest de-
gree.
A review Of the actual achieve
ments, not merely the promises, dur
ing the four months Of the railroads
OF the United States, centralized,
encourages and enthuses. 1t is by
way of being a national triumph in
Intelligence.
The American railroad has indeed
produced a maximum of transpor-
tation efficiency" has truly coordi-
mated its operations in continental
railway system" and has in fact
merged all competitive activities,
as forecast in the prospectus of
the American Railway Association
Of April 90. The 500 railroads thus
merged operated $4,000 miles of
track, used 2,326,987 freight cars,
employed 100000 persons and are
owned by 100000 security holders.
Large authority was given the
Railroads War Board for the oper-
alton of this system. 1t was called
upon to perform prodigies in the
way of transportation with railroad
system which was blockaded season.
ally by normal traffic. 1t could not
by taking thought greatly increase
the trackage, the terminal facilities
or the rolling stock. The problem
was to increase the efficiency of the
existing transportation plant by CEN
tralized management, by the elimi-
nation Of competition and by inten-
sive service. The result has been an
object lesson in organization.
Car shortage has been the great
defect in American railroading. An
ill-considered remedy for "car short
age" would be to build 100000 addi-
tlonal cars. But if these cars were
blockaded by congested terminals
they would move more slowly than
before and increase the congestion
which they were intended to relieve.
Car shortage indicates chiefly lack
oil fluidity in car movement.
Tonnage Increases
Without Blockades
Only a central authority to dis
tribute the existing cars effectively,
and the fact that the tonnage has
enormously increased, though no
blockade results, proves the vigor
and the capacity Of the war board,
whose bulletins emphasize the fact
that it has had the cooperation of
the shippers" especially in heavier
loading. The means sought and the
means, in great part, utilized were:
Maximum loading.
Longer trains.
Faster movement.
Speed at terminals.
Demurrage stress.
Pooling of commodities.
Arbitrary distribution of cars.
Flimin atm of naSSapoar l,yr