Charlevoix county herald., 1917-05-25
RAILWAYS OF THE UNITED STATES
IN SINGLE SYSTEM FOR THE WAR
Under Government Direction and With European Lessons in WeW
They Are Preparing to Handle Armies and Supplies Mis-
takes of the Spanish American War Will Not Be Repeat
ed-Eficiency the Watchword.


essential Of the national service in
war time. Railways move the troops,
feed the troops, equip the troops; rail-
ways feed the navy, equip and coal the
navy, and build the ships. No plant
can perform its government task with
out prompt movement of material,
parts, supplies and fuel. Railways are
the very arteries of war. Magnificent
armies of highly disciplined men
equipped with the most ingenious in
struments of destruction would be rem
dered inefficient by lack of railroads.
Never, perhaps, was the Importance
Of the railroad so exemplified as in the
European war. When the first shad-
ow of a war cloud was cast over the
peace-loving United States, instant
consideration of the railroads as a
means of defense came from the gov
eminent, and railroad officials patrioti-
cally took the initiative in placing at
the disposal of the nation every mile
Of track and every wheel. When the
history of the war is written, one of
the most dramatic chapters may have
to do with the part the railroads
played.
If the American railways were called
upon to move large bodies of troops
and gave the same accommodation as
supplied in Europe, said George Bury,
vice president of the Canadian Pacific
railway, the other day, they would be
In position TO move vastly greater
number in a shorter time. In warning
Europe troops are moved In freight
cars when passenger equipment Is not
available. In Europe the passenger
service has been curtailed, the remain
Ing trains slowed up, and the running
of fast freights discontinued.
Efficient Plan Worked Out.
The country has been assured by the
highest railroad authorities that the
failures Of our transportation system
in the Spanish war will not be repeat
ed, but that, on the contrary, as a re-
suit of a system which the war depart
ment has worked out with the rail-
roads, confusion such as was incident
to 1898 will be avoided. The conduct
of that campaign was little better than
the fiasco Of the French empire at the
opening of the FrancO-Prussian war.
To get rid of the confusion which at
tended the attempted mobilization ut
Tampa, when was disclosed an I'M
paralleled lack of executive ability, the
war department took up the question
with the railroads and worked out a
plan which has been accepted by all
lines in the country.
During the Spanish war, for exam
pie, supplies for 10000 men had been
ordered TO Tampa. In the effort of the
railroads to put these supplies into
that port 1000 freight cars were side
tracked and the whole lines congested
up as far as Columbia, S. G. In ac-
cOrdance with the understanding that
today exists between the war depart
ment and all the railroads, placard
will be placed on every freight car,
marked United States Army" in large
letters at the head, stating the depart
ment to which the supplies are con-
signed, the car initial, the car number,
point of shipment, contents, consignee,
destination, route, date shipped, and
consignor. When they arrive at the
front they will at once be put into
position, unloaded, and released with
out waiting for bills Of lading or other
railroad papers. The placards placed
on the cars will be considered sufficient
for all purposes.
Must Never Be Sidetracked.
1t will be a rule Of the railroad Off
Gals conducting the mobilization that
car thus marked shall never be side
tracked or laid over in yard. If 1t
is damaged in any manner, repairs on
Ii will have precedence over other
work. II these repairs cannot be i'm
mediately made, or are serious in char
acter, the car will be at once unloaded
and another car substituted and sent
on through, with the same placard.
One of the chief troubles at Tampa
was that the freight was not labeled
Nobody knew what the cars contained
or where any specific supplies were
along the line.
For months before diplomatic rela-
lions were broken with Germany the
committee on transportation and
communication Of the advisory COM
mission Of the Council for National
Defense, headed by Daniel Willard,
President of the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad, had been In close communi.
cation with the officials Of the war
department. When the danger became
an actual menace the work Of prompt
ly organizing the railroads for defense
fell upon the executive committee Of
the American Railway association.
Col. John L. Taylor Of the bureau
Of explosives Of the American Railway
association said last week that In the
whole world there was no such broad
and highly developed system as that
possessed by Uncle Sam. 1t was Gre
ated, however, for the pursuits Of
peace; IL made no claims to efficiency
on special military lines comparable
with the transportation Of Germany,
for instance.
System In Germany.
BY the end of 1907 the normal