New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-08
Roads Prepared to Furnish
All Transportation
Possible
Wilson Gets Problem
President To Be Final Arbiter
in Government Owner
ship Struggle

WASHINGTON, Dec. IA decisiol
as TO the governments attitude toward
the railroads. involving suggestions Tor
either government operation during
the war or suspension Of antitrust
laws and financial support. still rested
to.,ioht with President Wilson. NO
move was looked for until after MO"
dav when the President will 60 over
the entire subject with Senator new
lands chairman Of the Congressional
Committee. investigating tranSpor'a-
ton problems.
To-day. however, brought three I'M
portant developments in the situation
They were: NJ.
An order by Robert S. Lovett' Direc,
tor Of Priority, giving prefereh''al
sbipment to fuel food and government
supplies over all general freight 90,
indications that the government VIII
name a general traffic manager to take
entire charge Of the movement OF gov
eminent supplies and war materials
4 statement from Fairfax HARRISON
chairman of the Railroad War Board
that the roads under present direc''O"
are prepared to furnish all the trans.
nor+atinn nossible to obtain under any
management.
Wilson Studies Problem
Tho President is viewing the prop
,or from every angle. His advisers ,Ls
arc bv no means Of one NINA on ,,o
subject. and their proposals nav ~
sil the way from a policy OF goHeL..'
mont seizure TO that OF hahdS-Cn
titnde leaving the roads TO worn Wv
nroblem out for themselves ne go
careful study to-day to the -lhOeIs'aeS
Commerce Commissions recoIn IIII..I Iiua
tom 10 Congress thai the goEerh,nLS,n.
onerate the roads or suspend ouiims
tho war laws which prevent cois
nlete pooling and consequent uH''
cation Of all rail systems ,t
The intimation that the COVE i'! -,
will name a traffic manager CANT I'm ~
the Railroad War Board, Wnlch n"o
urged the appointment oil such me-.
70 coordinate demands oy Nalio ;t,'
government departments LOT P[toa.S
Cor their shipments. Edward r. mann
bers of the Santa Fe system, now VIaI
fc manager for the Food AdmihStla-
tion. has been suggested Tor me plaIieJ,
Tire new Office, it is declared woulu
conflict in no way with the iunc'i ron
of tbe Committee on Priority; ne
dn+ies of the government. franc man
ac,er would be solely TO decide wha'
sbould move first of government snip
r,ents advising the Committee on fr-
o,itv The committees functions cover
ali Shipments, public as well as govern
ment n,o5
Mr. Uarrison's statement was inter
preted as an answer TO suggestions ~.
Government operation of railroads II
was given out at the rallroso wal
boards Offices and replied TO deeIsta-
tions that the railroads have DToken
down" under the strain OF war AIter
asserting that the roads could ho6 ne
operated moro efficiently under diher-
emit management. Mr.. Harrison said'
"The point of the whole matter -
that the railroads have been operated
with the highest efficiency and nave
until now transported without substan-
tial COMPLAINT the greatest volume or
traffic in the history Of the country.
They have made common use OF box
cars and Of many facilities for more
Intensive operation. The recent action
combining facilities Of Eastern roads
and providing for common use of coal
cars in that territory already is re-
ducing congestion"