The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-06-16
Especial Correspondence to the
Manufacturers Record

oAN AtOk AnNNhhS thot wv
as we'll as many of the leaders il,
great industrial enterprises, has be-
come sensible of the increasing dan
ger of centering the vast bulk of the
nations war-making activities in the
Eastern and New England states.
One of the main reasons back o!
the transfer of the railroads of the
country to government control dur
ing the war was to bring about
greater unity of action, as also to
permit the pooling of the transpor-
patton resources of the great COM
mon carriers after a manner which
would not have been possible SO
long as they remained under private
control and operation.
But this has been but beginning
toward the task of meeting the enor-
mously increased burden imposed
on the railroads by the requirements
of the war. The steps now imper-
ative to be taken are to bring about
a better distribution of the burden
in all parts of the country and TO
readjust the distribution of indus
trial activities to make this possible.
Soon after taking charge of the
new railroad administration, Direc-
tor-General McAdoo saw how
things were tending. The conges-
ton in the meek of the bottle" was
already present. With far freer
powers of action than were pos
sessed by the individual heads OF
the railroads under the earlier man
agement, Mr.. McAdoo recognized
that these alone would not meet
the emergency.
AS a director-General OF railways,
Mr.. McAdoo found it necessary to
take cognizance of the growing
congestion in the Eastern states,
Always the center of industrial ac-
tivity, the New England and other
states in the Eastern territory have
vastly increased the number of their
industries, putting a new tax upon
the railroads, not only in carrying
away the products of these factories
but in carrying the raw materials to
them.
Mr.. McAdoo brough. this war
tendency to the attention of Presi-
dent Wilson, setting forth the peril
that would inevitably follow the
piling up of war work in the East
ern states, and it is understood that
the various executive departments
have been asked to give considera-
ton to this situation whenever they |
find it necessary to pass upon the
establishment of new industry.
There has been no determination
to forbid the establishment of new
war industries in the East, as 1t Is
realized that there are some cases
in which the public interest can be
better served; but from 4 transpor-
tation standpoint. it is imperative
that the trend should be encouraged
in another direction. There will he
no further encouragement OF the
concentration OF industrial efforts
in the congested regions. Wherever
possible, the departments will urge
the establishment of new industries
in the less congested sections, be-
lieving that the whole country will
be better served by this equalizing
of war industries.
Hence the situation serves to him
der to the poit OF possibly COM
plete disruption OF the nations war
making powers is capable OF being
illustrated in several ways. In fact,
the congestion is threefold where
the transportation systems are over
taxed. There is the immense quar-
tity of coal that must be carried 20
he big manufacturing plants. Then
comes the burden on the lines for
The transportation of raw materials.
And, finally, the blocking process
S repeated when it comes to carry
ng out the finished products.
When the interdepartmental nj
rate plant board acted upon the
of the law in selecting
some interior part OF the country
or the establishment Of the govern =
nent nitrate plants, it merely fol-
owed instructions which were based
IN considerations OF a military char
.cter. The idea was to have these
,lants so located that they would
lot be readily vulnerable to the at
acks of an enemy.
The new movement is economic,
'et not wholly divorced from mill
ary considerations, seeing that ev-
ry enterprise carried on today is
nore or less directly connected with
he successful prosecution of the
Jar against Germany. Even where
from attack is not in
olved, the breaking up of the con-
of the great war indus
ries in the East is recognized as
ssential to success.
The government is now projecting
n enormous gun factory, which, it
understood, is to be located in
pine part of the Middle West. This
omewhat indefinite term covers a
ide territory, and may take in the
outhwest or possibly the Southern
ates. No specific information has
J yet been given out. But back OF
ie general suggestion is the idea OF
ifecting a better distribution OF
ants and labor, and % balance
ore satisfactorily the demands
BON the transportation facilities of
Ie country.