Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-30
DEFINITE STEPS
FOR UN|F|CAT|ON
Of ROADS TAKEN
Director-General McAdoo
Appoints Temporary
Staff of Assistants.
| TO CLEAR CONGESTION
IN NEW YORK AND CHICAGO
Smith, President Of New York
Central, and Hines, Railroad
Lawyer, Named.
CONGRESS AGENCIES AT WORE
Demands of Employees for Increase
Refused by Roads and Issue
Put Up to Government.
TO CLEAR CONGESTION
IN NEW YORK AND CHICAGO
CONGRESS AGENCIES AT WORE
Demands of Employees for Increase
Refused by Roads and Issue
Put Up to Government.
tBy Associated PresaI

| loN, DeCelnDCE SS.-o1L~
mite steps toward national uni6catiou
Of railroads and improvement OF con-
gested conditions were taken to-day
by Director-Gencral McAdoo In tho ap-
pointmcnt Of temporary star and
the issuing of his first formal order
directing absolute pooling OF all trat-
ic. common utilization Of terminals,
rolling stock and other facilities, haul
ing OF freight by the shortest routes.
and retention of all present officers
and employees.
Special instructions were issued for
the clearing OF congestion IN New York
and Chicago through pooling OF ter
minals and other traffic facilities. and
Alfred Fl. Smith, president Of tho New
York Central was named temporary
special assistant to supervise trans
portation In the trunk line territory
east OF the Mississippi and north Of
tho Ohio Eivers, where congestion IL
greatest.
Walker d. Hines. OF New York, q
railroad lawyer. and for many years
, special student of government op-
Grafton was appointed assistant di-'
rector-Eeneral. pending the formation
OF a permanent staff. Tho Interstate
Commerce Commission was drafted for
an immediate investigation by It's In
spectors OF general frcisnt conditions
on Eastern trunk lines.
TO POSTPONE PRESENTATION
OF CASE TO GOVERNMENT
While the dircctor-Cencral was con-
ferrinE to-day with a number OF rail-
road heads, Interstate Commerce Com
missioners and members of Congress,
m ia 70
remedy faults OF transportation, it be-
came known that the demands OF the
four railway brotherhoods for a 40
per cent waEe increase had been de-
MED by the railroads, and that cou-
sequently the labor men had decided
20 postpone for probably sixty days
the presentation OF their case to the
government 1t was thought prob
able President Wilson would take uu
the labor situation in his address to
Congress next Thursday or Friday.
Congressional agencies went to
work to-day on tho new railroad
situation. The Senate Interstate Com
mcrce Committee at special hearing
drew from Chairman Hall, OF the In
tcrstate Commerce Commission, the
statement that the governments fail
ure to centralize priority administra-
tion was largely responsible for freight
congestion.
Senator Cummins. ranking Republi-
can member OF tho Senate Interstate
Commerce Committee, in a conferences
with Mr.. McAdoo. expressed tho opin.
ion that legislation to prescribe thu
basis OF government compensation to
tho roads would be passed speedily.
though not without some oppostt,on
TO the Preeidents suggestion OF guar
antecing to the companies the average
earnings for the last three years.
The railroad war board. whose ser.
vices have been solicited tcmporayiIy
by the director-gcneral, to-day made
n number Of suggestions for economical
and efficiency.
ohiEFS FREELY PREDICT
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP
The railroad chiefs freeIv nred,.,a,
to-day that the advantages OF tn.
great noncompctitive system now b.,,r
developed would soon become so an
parent that tho country never would
revert to the old plan of prlvat, cor
troll They even went SO far as 10 mr..
aict very definitely that government
ownership as well as control would h.
development OF only 4 few years.
ihis attitude OF the railroad prest-
cents gave special significance 70 N.
nrst Official instructions of Director.
uchcral mcAdoo. designated as "o,dar
no. j. telcGraphed to-day TO everv
rallroad executive head.
oerretary McAdoo spent to-day In
ms ONCE at the Treasury Building. but
arranged to opcn headquarters n.1.
week In the Interstate Commerce Com.
mission Building.
CtRTAILMENT OF PASSENGER
SCHEDULES TO re oRDE,nED
Although Mr.. McAdoo has not ye.
taken up the subject OF cur& $Aeot
OF passenger schedules. this Is ~atis .
cipated later Post-onice officials to.
day arranged to revise their mail
schedules accordingly.
IN his statement before tho Sonata
Interstate Commerce Committee to-day.
Chairman Hall took occasion to cx.
onerato Chairman Lovett. OF tho prior.
ity board. Of blame in connection with q