The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-23
FOOD SHIPMENTS
 ARE NOT DELAYED
 BY THE RAILROADS
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Mr. McAdoo's statement very reassur- ing since it indicates that further care will be furnished in western terminals and that the shortage from these west ern terminals to eastern territory now will be overcome. As the railway dl- rectorate are evidently alive to the sit uation they will no doubt take all nec- essary steps,
 A railroad administration statement, without referring to MT Hoover's dec laration that the domestic and allied food situation can be solved only by oading S.000.000 bushels of grain a day for the next so days, explained that already 6,000,000 bushels of grain arc being loaded daily and even bet ter loading is in prospect. Unofficial ly it was declared that practically all the grain being offered by farmers and local elevators was being hauled by the railroads under general priority orders for foodstuffs, particularly for grain in the west. It was suggested that farmers might not be bringing their grain to market as fast as they should. Railroad officials also called attention to the fact that potato grow CTS last fall held much of their crop for higher prices and that condition is partly responsible for the extraor- dinary offering at this time of pota- icCS WHICH lllt PATHWAYS are ndFlnE some difficulty solving.
 GENERAL SITUATION
 Referring to the general food moving situation, the railroad administration said:
 There has now been about two weeks of moderately good weather, during which time an extraordinary effort was put forth by the railroads For the week ending February 16 9, ,104,0O0 bushels of grain were received at western primary markets. which were the largest re- ceipts for one week in two years, and an increase of 54 per cent over the pre- vious week. and 51 per cent over the same week last year.
 "The average number of cars of grain being loaded is 5000, which is approx- mately 60,0000o0 bushels daily. This has been done notwithstanding that weather conditions are still severe in a large part of the country, and it will certainly in crease in proportion as the weather mod crates"
 BASED ON FIGURES
 This statement was based on figures gathered by the traffic division of the railroad administration, headed by Ed ward Chambers former traffic manager for the food administration. Other re- ports showed that in the nine days be- tween February Il and February 20, B. 365, ,000 bushels of grain were received at the principal elevators and milling con ters of the west. This movement in- cluded 17,S61,000 bushels of corn, much of which was. the soft corn which is so prevalent this year; 9.329000 bushels of oats and 2,446,0oo bushels of wheat.
 In the eight days between February Il and February 19, 3S.750. cars were loaded with grain, of which 26.549 were in the western district, or west of the Missis- sirpi; 9S19 were in the eastern district, and 2SS2 in the south.
 Forty-two special food trains, contain ing 1888 cars were sent eastward from Chicago and East St. Louis to New York, Philadelphia and Boston for transatlantic shipments to the allies between February 12 and 19. This through movement of food trains is still continuing, and six trains of meats are going daily to east ern ports for export.
 Between February 10 and q. F days, 1868 cars, or about 260 trains of live stock, dressed beef and pershable products have been shipped eastward from Chi cago.
 The movement of special food trains under fast schedules can be made in any section of the country threatened sud denly with food shortage, according to railroad directorate officials, and this plan will be resorted to if the shortage which MT. Hoover forecast actually de- velops.