Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-01-03
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Washington. Dec. 29-At aeon today
shs approximately 25u, 900 miles of Am
er1ca1 railway systems silently merged
into one great continental chain for the
winning of the war. Under President
Wilson's decision the great event. re-
garded by many as the opening OF a
new epoch in government operation II
control Of public utilities passed by
without formal ceremony.
As the first practical step in the ov-
ernment's operation Of railroads, which
began at noon today. Director General
into the government service to work
out plans of unified operation and sub
init them to him for approval.
Director General McAdoo will issue
no orders or directions for the imme-
date present, but will await recon-
mendations of the war board before
taking n measures to clear the con-
Eestion choking railroad terminals and
tracks in the east.
whatever can be done to make tho
roads more efficient" said MIR. Nc
Adoo, will be done as soon as We find
out what is necessary"
No Moro Long Hauls.
one phase OF railroad management
which will receive government atten-
ton, now thai Director General McAdoo
has taken charge is the needlessly long
hauiaSe of freight for the purpose Of
getting more money out Of the business,
closely related thereto is the system of
alleged collision between roads and
big corporations whereby the latter help
to promote long hau!S at the expense
of the public.
The packing business is q good illus
tration. Livestock is commonly shipped
for many hundred miles from the Da-
kotas, Nebraska and Iowa into Chicago,
only to be shipped back over much Of
the same route in the form Of meat at
high rates. The roads and the packers
have supported a plan whereby the
roads got enormous tonnage and profit
able baulage and the public suffered
carry out the plan. Government Of
ficia!s predict that such tremendously
expensive systems Of haulage, Of which
that cited in the livestock n packing
Is an example, will gradually be rooted
out.
The following five railroad execu-
tivea each a leader in the business Of
transportation will work out the plans
for welding Of the railroads into one
great continental system for winning
the war:
Fairfax Harrison. president of tins
Southern railway.
Julius Kruttschnitt, Chairman OF the
board Of the Southern Pacific.
Samuel Rea. president of the Penn
%sylvania.
Hale Holden, president of the Bur
{ington.
HOWARD Elliott, Of the New Haven.
There appeared some doubt today as
to whether the railroad executives de.
sired to continue the railroad wal
board. Fairfax Harrison, chairman
said 1t was a purely voluntary oreani'
cation, costing the roads 100000 a yea1
to maintain.
Staff Not Selected.
Mr.. McAdoo said he had made no ar
rangements in regard to a staff, but the
presence at the conference of John
Barton Payne. of Chicago. head Of the
shipping boards legal staff, led to some
speculation thai MIR. Payne might be-
come an assistant to the director gen.
era1.
The railroad heads were visibly in 6
better frame Of mind after the confer
ence than they were before talking
with the director general. Hale Holden
Of the Burlington, said that h rail-
road heads Immediately would SCI
about working out q plan OF railroad
economy ane tn. pooling of freight.
Pooling, he said. would accomplish
much in relieving congested lines ant
e%xpediting freight traffic movements;
The immediate result of the order
viii be TO wipe out competition anc
Eeroute traffic over the shortest lines
Shipments will move directly to theii
destination. regardless Of the companS
with which they originated and ter
ninals will be used IN common to Ell
feet maximum efficiency. Speedy move
Ynent Of freight will be he first duty
Of tho director general.
Employees Are Loyal.
Retention OF present railroad officials
and employees seems assured. but indi
cations are that huge salaries OF ran
road executives will be reduced ane
wages OF operatives Increased. Presi
dent Wilson conferred with chiefs OF thu
four railroad hrothcriloods yesterday
and received their y1edge of loyalty t
government administration. The broth
erhoods have dcma d for 40 per cen
wage increases pendIrg with the rail
roads, bur the governments definite At
titude In this matter has not been dis
closed II II uuderstood President VIII
soG ASSURED the protEerhood chiefs ina