St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1918-01-26

pers and traffic agreements between
carriers are to be disregarded when
interfering with the expedition of
traffic; through rates are establish
ed. Existing rate schedules and
outstanding orders of the Interstate
Commerce Commission are to be OBJ
served until annulled.
The Director General called upon
all railroad officials to take up Wig
orously ,and Immediately the matter
Of the common use of terminals and
parallel lines, wiping out al COM
netit;ve prohibitions and waving
eomret i've control or solicitation of
traffic. The terminal facilities in the
large cities are to be treated as
unit when necessary An immediate
~tudy and investig.s ton of railway
and especially terminal. conditions
were directed.
In some sections of the country
an embargo was placed on any con-
signee not releasing freight prompt-
ly upon arrival; certain passenger
trains were annulled; and all over
the country the demurrage charges
on un oaded carr were increased.
The Director General Appealed to
the people of the United States to OBJ
serve the week beginning January
IA as Ere ght Moving Week" urg
ng the people a. lsrge as vel as
the railroad forces to make "a SUI
preme effort to unload all freight
cars and remove freight from rail-
road stations and clear the deck for
q more expeditions moving of freight.
The Director General says that
every railroad officer and employee
is now, in effect, in the sevr'c &c of the
United States. and each as impor-
tant a factor in winning the war as
a man in the trenches.
Secretary McAdoo asked for the
cooperation of the railways, the
railway officials and employ ees. and
the people at large. The response
was immed ate and strong, and Gov
] eminent control in the United States
has become a public, national effort
participated in by the whole people.
/ The English.
The experience of the English Gov
eminent in, railway control is. of
prime interest to Americans at this
tuncture. The following summary
Of the railway control by the Eng
ltsh Government Is taken from
speech delivered in the Senate Janu
airy 4 by Senator Henry F. Hollis.
of New Jersey:
"The English Government took
entire control Of all railways in
Great Britain on August IA, 1914,
aefeeing to pay the stockho' ders the
same earnings as they received in
the year 1913.
''As traffic demands increased
while facilities decreased, due to
wear and tear and the enlistment of
thousands of railway workers, re
course was had to reduction of the
service and the employment of wo-
men and men not cspab.e OF bearing
arms, the number of women employ
red increasing in three years from
is 900 to 100000. Freight cars
were pooled without regard to own
ership, and the loading and unload
ing of cars were expedited under
4 heavy penalties, fines and imprison-
ment; it was made criminal Of
tense to fail to load or unload in ac-
cordance with the rules. Passenger
trains were annulled, reservations OF
seats abolished, traffic diverted, and
passenger rates advanced so per
J cent, not so much to increase rev
enue as to discourage travel.
) 1.-THE Government control in Eng
land was exercised through a rail-
way executive committee of 10 alp
pointed by the Government from the
general managers Of certain impor-
tant roads, this board having as It's
official chairman q member Of the
cabinet, the president Of the board
: OF trade. The staff Of each railway
J remained undisturbed.
, Wages, hours of work and other
! labor questions have been settled by
Cancellation and arbitration, and 1t If
s stated that both the management
: and the workers have worked in har-
I mony, realizing that whatever con-
cessions or sacrifices were made &C
crued TO the benefit OF the nIatien and
49,. - 49, n