Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24
ton of the shipping board to take them
over there. the hardening and polish
Ing process is steadily going on.

x =
When Gen. Goethals became director
of the storage and traffic division of
the general stan he
Better assumed one of the
Augean tasks of the
Transportation. War, Department,
and the way he has handled the situa-
ton shows how great was the misfor-
tune that separated him from the Job
of providing ships for the need of the
nation at war.
He has brought about a complete re-
organization of the machinery for the
movement of troops and their supplies;
for the movements of ships and Cor
their scientific handling in loading and
unloading, and for the storage and
movement of production that was
threatening to clog the Atlantic ports.
The shipping control committee,
Messrs. Franklin and Raymond of New
York, and Sir Connop Guthrie of Eng
land are in charge of the whole gem
eral shipping situation. and as they
have the control they must bear the
responsibility of securing. regula tim
and a1locating all the shipping that
leaves the ports of the United States
tee has its headquarters in New York
city, but is at all times in close touch
with Washington.
In the Office of the director the fol-
lowing divisions, administration. stor-
age control, inland transportation and
embarkation. Administration, under
Leon Q. Fisher, supervises and co-ordi-
mates all work regarding mails. meth
DDS. preparation of regulations. data,
statistics, and co-operates with the
general staff for the movement of
troops.
Storage control handles or super
vises matters relating to storage and
warehousing, including concentration of
materials, camp and cantonment depotS.
1t includes planning branch that Sc
lects building and space requirements
and warehouse methods.
Inland transportation, under H. NJ.
Adams. supervises all matters pertain
ing to inland routing and transporta-
ton, including troop movements, prop
erty movements, priority section,
quartermaster. medical, ordnance, Sig
nal Corps and engineer sections, a field
service, a car record and a tariff and
also central Office service branch.
Embarkation is under Lieut.. Col.
Frank T. Hines. who as the representa-
tive of Gen. Goethals, has charge of all
troops and their supplies that are sent
abroad. 1t has its branches for admin
istration ship operation. overseas con-
troll and sections for each of the prin-
cipal bureaus of the Army. The activi-
by two operating services shipping
control committee appointed by the Sec
rotary of War and by port commanders.
Embarkation has also many duties that
are strictly of a military nature that
may not be discussed.
The effect of this organization of traf-
fic is to coordinate the efforts of every
branch that goes into the movement of
troops within the United States, coast
wise or ITO Europe, to store, ship and
rat.o IS oil LII Go ta
armies here and abroad. To illustrate
the Importance of the whole matter,
consider the one thing. the scientific
loading of ships. The greatest delays
arise from unloading on the other side.
and half this delay is eliminated if the
cargo has been put in properly Again.
with proper loading each vessel carries
its full capacity. and one rs not filled
with balloons and its sister ship half
filled with pig iron.
The result of this organization is al
ready felt in many ways: first in the
moral effect upon the officers, who are
rebuilding their effort when they see
that they are accomplishing things;
then in better condition at the terIni-
nails. and more especially in shortening
the delay on the other side.
No ship can run the year around at
90 per cent capacity. so is good
mark to reach when time is taken out
for repairs, but it is said that Ameri-
can ships hhve not. been doing any
where near that figure. 1t may well be
that they have not, but in the past six
weeks they have approached nearer to
that mark than at any time hereto
fore.
Taking over the Dutch ships viii in
crease the difficulties of loading and
shipping. but it is the best way to free
the terminals. They will start relief
of the congestion that is a menace
IA her than a condition.
The creation of this Organization is
an incident in the work of Gen. Goe-
thals. It is done in his capacity as an
officer of the general staff His real
work is that of the quartermaster gen.
eral of the Army, but he found it adj
vantageous not only to secure the
supplies for the Army. but to deliver
the goods.
x *
The Senate military committee re-
fused to adopt the amendment offered