The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1917-12-24

the idle cars that complcate the TRANSPORTATION
problem and the idle must be eliminated
To win the war and make the world safe for
democracy each and every one of the 100000
freight cars In this country must be kept moving
There are ships to be built to make up for the
in France and their allies Cars are needed to carry
lumber to the shpyards and these cars must be kept
moving.
Added to this abnormal business is the constant
daily transportation of food and munitions to our
this-and they too, must all be kept moving. Time
Is our enemys strongest ally. Every minute saved
nng OF the war for democracy is of the utmost value
The Railroads War Board.
In creating their organization for the war, the
railroads had in mind primarily service for the Gov
eminent itself. As realization of the importance
Of continuing the domestic activities of the country
became apparent, however, the railroad presidents
of the country met in Washington on April 18th and
agreed during the to forget competitive activi-
ties and ito coordinate their operations in Cont
mental Railway System, merging during such period
all their individual and competitive activities in an
effort to produce the maximum of national trans
portation efficiency"
the n. Y N; H: H. R. r.; Mr.. Hale Holden, of the
c. B. 9. R. R.; Mr.. Samuel Rea, of the Pennsyl
K. r. Mr.. Julius kruttschnitt of the Southern
Pacific Company, and Mr.. Fairfax Harrison of the
Southern Railway: Mr.: Harrison is chairman In
addition Mr. Daniel Willard president of the B. & @.
r. r. and chairman of the Advisory Commission of
the Council of National Defense. has accepted the
the War Board Mr.. E. f. Clark of the Interstate
Commerce Commission, is also ex-oficio member.
The War Boards Machinery.
The War Board is divided into departmental sub
committees who work with the military departments
of the Government, and also subcommittee Car
Service, equipment standards, transportation, &C
and supplies and express transportation.
To keep close to local situations and to meet diff
culties promptly, subcommittee reporting to the
Commission on Car Service have been formed at
Chicago, New York, Atlanta, San Francisco, Seattle
ty-seven IN all, who work closely with the business
men Of each place These committees are co-operat7
ing with the shipping and travelling public as well
with the military authorities.
The Washington organization of the railroads in
ciuGes twenty experlenced ranroaq onleersi m
Guiding the i've executives on the war Board all Oh
whom there practically all the time It also
includes trained experts of every phase Of the work
confronting the railroads.
Although the plan of cooperation worked out in
this country is somewhat like that adopted IN Eng
land with respect to railway cooperation at the out
set of the war, the placing of the responsibility for
the successful conduct of railroad activities has been
accepted by the railroads OF this country, whereas
in England it has been shifted to the Government.
There the Government assumed financial response
biity and guaranteed that the net earnings OF the
companies would continue to be what they be-
fore the war. In this country the Government
sumes no such responsibility. The Government
merely advises the railroads what service 1t requires
to provide that service; when working to that end
the railroads are operated practically as one system
Railway Regiments for France.
In their effort to give adequate support to the
Government in its conduct of the war against
Germany, the railroads have not confined Their
this country for the necessity Of re-
habilitating the French railways is most i'm
portant military problem France cannot spare the
men for the work. The United States must do it. To
provide the necessary man power the railroads have
recruited nine regiments of railway These
regiments are composed of motive power men ex
perenced in maintaining and running engines, IN
building tracks buildings and bridges, in operating
trains yards and stations and who help to main
tain, rebuild and operate the railways IN France
Thoroughness has marked every step of the prepare
ton for the revitalizing of the French railways 1t
was these railways that saved Democracy for the
that turned back the German tide at the battle of
the Marine What the French railway men did be-
hind the lines in those stirring days viii be repeated
by the railway regiments of America in whatever
battles must be fought either abroad or at home be-
fore Peace can be definitely assured.