Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-21
Use of Port Vital
to End Freight Jam
Continued from PaEe One

'h'iHufu hht VIC
not taking the step for the reason that
they have not answered us. We have
received no reason from them for not
making use for ports outside Of New
York
no REASON FOR CUNGESTION
There is no doubt that ahips shou'
be diverted TO this port from New SorE
This Is the self-evident manner in which
congcstcd conditions can hc cleaned M
There Is no reason in the world why
freight should be delayed five days or
more in shipment between Philadelphil
and New York when that same freight
can be unloaded right here and placed
on ships without the trouble. delay and
expense of lighterng An extremely
small part Of the Cargoes going through
New York can he placed upon the suius
without lightcrage.
director Webster. Of the Department
Of Wharvcs. Docks and Ferries. is hand =
ling the local situation in an able man
ner. | understand that he has been in
communication with Washington and
has arranged for a conference on the
ending OF freight through PHILADELPHIA.
Mr. Webster has all the data at his fin
ger tips and Is well able to place the
ports case before the Shipping BoarS
and others
The Maritime Exchange is backing
him and will back him in every move hc
makes 10 let us help the nation through
the port Of Philadelphia. There is mo
other way out Of the horrible tauglc
that has SO mcumbercd the eastern
freight tcrmini for several months"
BOURSE BACKS Up WEBSTER
3
{ that Director Webster was well able IA
/ handle the situation However. hr
| pointed out that it would be necessary
! for all the organizations Of PHILADELPHIA
to stand behind the Director in the car.
rying on Of the campaign.
The Buurse president said that the
commercial emergency committee on
b transport ltiOn Of the Allied Trade
/ Bodies, Of which he is secretary, would
take action in the matter Ernest r.
rrigg. president Of the Chamber Of Com.
merce and chairman Of the committee
and n. B, Kelly. secretary Of the cham.
ber and vice chairman of the committee
/ have both promised similar action.
Il will start ut once" said Mr.. Al.
! brecht, in having action taken hy our
| committee. Within day or two | viI
. have conferences with Mr.. Trigg and
! Mr.. Kelly to find out what can be done
I The next meeting of the committee will
| be Friday. I think that something should
! be done Immediately. | think We max
| arrange among the officers unOfFlciaIIy
| for the committee so that Director Web.
ster may take with him to WashinRtor
our support. 1t is highly advisable Thai
! he should have such Endorsement from
| Ill the interested organizations Of th,
city.
"Therc is no reason at all why PhiIa.
! delphia should not be used i'm this cn,ar.
Eency, except that the people iu Wash.
ingtOn cannot see more than one thing
at a time. Their scope Of vision Is lin,
tied to a small circle.
Evidently the proposition in this five,
day suspension of industry is to get coaI
to the ships In New York ana to clean
up the freight tangle. This is not going
to prove to much advantage. though
unless steps are taken to remove IN,
cause. If they keep piling in and pilinp
in again with trainloads of goods 10 New
York, the same condition will result
again
GET DOWN TO BUSINESS
THE thing 10 be done now is to profit
by the past mistakes and get down tC
the business Of working this out along
q lllt llllt VI ANdSN resistance one enc
Of that line is in the port Of Philadel
phia.
when think Of what should b,
done ! have all that 7 can do 20 keel
from being profane. It certainly Is Z
| mystery why the advantages Of thi,
rort have not been used
"One thing is certain, however, L
the Government does not follow al
whatever advantage is gained In Tn,
port OF New York by this .flve-dav sus
pension by relieving that port with ship
ments through Philadelphia, conditions
Will become as bad, il not worse. thar
before"
The beginning Of Railroad Dlrccto
General McAdoo's drastic demurrag
order today gave another reason for In,
avoidance Of delay by the use OF tn
port Of Philadelphia. Beginning today
tho coasignee is given forty-eight hour
70 unload cars. Demurrags charge
ltart on the third day a6 SO a car. on
dollar a day additional Is charged unit
the eighth day, when II reaches $40