Omaha daily bee., 1918-01-02
Clear Freight Congestion.
CBy Associated Press.) .

- Cn1kCfH tOduS tOudy tIOlH 1HCO
General McAdoo to clear up freight
congestion regardless OF previous gov
rrnmeit priority regulations, passen-
ger schedules and any har1lpering
practices under the old competitive
system and to pay special attention
to movement of coal and food.
Lines Of the west and south were
notified that soon they might be
called on to furnish locomotives and
other equipment to help tighten the
traffic burden in the east, and com.
mittee of government officials was
created to work out plan for divert
ing export freight TO ports other than
New York.
Coal to New England.
Quantities Of coal actually were
.tarted moving to New England to
relieve IL. serious shortage there, and
priority orders were suspended for
roads east Of the Mississippi and
north OF the Ohio river to the extent
iecessary to clear up congestion.
At the same time the director gen.
.ral dissolved the railroad war board
At its own request and named tenn
porary advisory cabinet OF five mem
bers. One OF these, Hale Holden,
president Of the Chicago, Burlington
and Quincy, and q member OF the
war board, will be retained to super
yise the machinery which the war
board has created within the last nine
months to coordinate the roads oi
the country.
Other members OF the new advisory
board are John Shelton Williams,
comptroller Of the currency. who will
have charge Of financial questions
arising out Of government operation;
Henry Walters, chairman Of the
board Of Atlantic Coast Line, who
will assist on operation problems;
Edward Chambers, traffic director oil
the food administration, who will
have general charge Of traffic, and
Walker D. Hines, assistant to the di.
rector general.
Consider Wage Increases.
The question Of increased pay for
railroad employees will be taken up
soon by Mr.. McAdoo, but he said
today he had given little thought 10
wages and did not know what his at
titude would be.
Acting under the director generals
specific authority, A. H. Smith. presi.
dent OF the New York Central and
assistant director, who has charge oi
the task Of clearing congestion in the
east, tonight ordered eastern lines to
start 4 systematic campaign to move
freight and TO report daily to him
the ccngested conditions, 90 that
other roads less burdcned might be
used for the overflow.
Right Of Way for Freight
Embargo any consignee who does
not release freight promptly on ar
rival" said the order.
so far - practicable, annul pas
senger trains which interfere with civ.
ing necessary freight service.
1Call upon all employees to lend
their efforts In this matter OF SER
vice to the government and the peo-
pie.r
Director General McAdoo explained
that there was no intention OF aban-
doning the system Of priority as direct
ed BY Robert S. Lovett Of the war
industries board, but that in the fu.
turc these orders would be issued
through the director general, who be.
lieves the selection Of preferential
cars in switch yards in many cases
causes more trouble than 10 move
an entire train, and that every class
OF shipments will move faster II the
whole bulk Of freight goes forward
without priority.
Railroad authorities win use theii
discretion, however, concerning the
speedier movement Of perishable ar
ticles, coal and any other materials
which they believe justi6es quick
movements.
The committee Of managers headed
by A. w. Thompson which heretofore
has maintained headquarters in Pitts.
burgh to supervise clearing of conges.
tion in the east is dissolved under Mr.
McAdoo's orders today, but its ma.
chinery and functions are to be as.
sumed by Mr.. Smith who will have
headquarters in New York.
Some form of drastic action may
be taken later against consignees who
fail to unload shipments as quickly
as possible, the director general ex.
planned today.
Curtail Passenger Service.
Curtailment Of passenger travel L
planned by eliminating trains as fast
as railroads can arrange. No general
increase in rates according to the plar
adopted in England is in immediate
contemplation. Commuter trains will
not be affected by the curtailment
plans. Engines released in this way
viii be put into freight service and
trackage facilities and employees will
be released for other use.
To relieve New York terminals Il
IL planned to divert as much traffic
as possible to Baltimore, Newpor,
News and other Atlantic ports
Means for accomplishing this will b.
studied by committee consisting oi
Major General Goethals, acting quar-.
termastef general of the army; Cap.
tain Strother Smith, representing the
Navy department; Edward Garry, rep.
resenting the shipping board; Edward
Chambers, Of the food administrator
and Fuel Administrator Garfield. They
expect to report to Mr.. McAdoo with.
in . few days.
General order No. 2 will forbid
railroads to make further expendi.
fures not directly concerned with
operation. II will cut of such outlays
a now 20 for traffic soliciting
bureaus maintained under the old
competitive system for advertising
and for retainers' fees paid many rail-
road lawyers.
Among members of congress to-
day = fight was developing over