The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-01-04
HE SUSPENDS ALL.
PRIORITY ORDERS.
Director LOVett Facilitates the
Movement Of Coal.
WILSON TO GO BEFORE SOLONS

viii Present Next Friday His Recon-
mendatlons For Legislation to Make
Government Operation Of Railroads
Fully EffectiVe-Director General
McAdoo smashes Railway Preee-
acknowledgment In Situation.
Washington, Jan. 2.-Robert S. Lo
vett, priority director of the war In
dustries board, on receipt of reports
that hundreds OF loaded coal cars
were stalled on sidings behind Ions
strings of cars containing shipments
of higher preferential rating than
coal, suspended all existing priority
orders for the entire country.
This action Is expected to result In
quicker movement of the entire mass
of congested freight, whose sluggish
ness has been caused largely by a
multiplicity of priority orders.
President Wilson will go before
congress Friday to present his rec
concentrations for legislation to make
government operation fully effective
and to provide for compensation Of
the carriers, and legislation whicn
mas already been drawn will be intro.
duced Immediately after his address.
Some officials think there will be a
vigorous fight over the question OF
whether the legislation should be ef-
fective only for the Jerlod of the wac
and a limited time thereafter, or
should remain in force until specific
ally repealed or modified by congress.
Representatives of the railways
were to have appeared today before
the senate interstate commerce COM
mittee. but when word came that the
president desired to address congress
Friday, it was announced that they
would ask permission to withhold
their statements for the present.
Director General McAdoo broke
railway precedents by ordering that
the Pennsylvania company's tunnel
under the Hudson river, heretofore
restricted to passenger trains, be
used to hasten coal supplies into the
heart of New York city. The orders
are to be followed, even If they inter.
fere with passenger schedules. This
action was considered significant by
railroad men, not only because of the
direct results, but because it in
dicated how determined the govern
ment is to use all facilities to their
utmost, regardless of previous prac-
tees, to relieve congestion and pro-
mote efficiency.
At the first conference of Mr. Nc
Adoo In the new year with his ad.
visers and executives it was decided
to put additional ships now controlled
by the shipping board into service
carrying coal from Hampton Roads to
New England.
Hundreds of kilograms pouring into
the railroad administration told OF
coal trains or individual cars appar.
emily lost in yard confusion These
reports, most of which we're submit
ted by interstate commerce commits
sion inspectors, were referred to rail.
way executives, with instructions to
clear out the stalled freight as fast
as physically possible, and to notify
the administration the extent of their
inability to move certain quantities
Of freight.
Early action to divide the country
into operating districts, with a gov.
ernment supervisor over each, and
possibly federal railroad agent for
each state, has been urged strongly
upon Director General McAdoo, and
he is said to be considering this pol.
sA.x