Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1918-01-03
GOVT. TAKES RAILROADS
FOR PERIOD OF The WAR

Similar to British Plan.
The plan of control as outlined in
the proclamation and statement
leaves much unsaid as to details, but
the general scheme appears to fol.
low closely the British system. In
England, however, government
freight is carried free and the guar.
anteed earnings require an enormous
amount of money from government
funds, while in the United States the
government will pay for its freight
as in the past and will stand it's part
of the increase freight tariffs il they
are found to be necessary.
Aside from the presidents state
n.ent, there was no comment in the
capital tonight on the governments
move. Secretary McAdoo declined to
be quoted, and members of the rail
roads war board said they would
have no statement to make until to-
morrow
Has Been Big Problem.
The railroad situation has present
ed one of the greatest problems that
have arisen in the prosecution of the
war. Government control, although
mot offering an entire solution, will.
many officials believe, go far toward
relieving many transportation ills.
Wars demand on railroad facili-
ties were foreseen early by railroad
aff1cials.
Five days after was was declared
the heads of the principal systems
met in Washington and formed a
committee Of five rail chiefs to di-
rect the roads as nearly as possible
as one continuous system. The Ave
men named were called the railroads
war board. They were: Fairfax
Harrison Of tn. . Southern railway.
chairman; Howard elliott Of the New
Haven, Samuel Rea Of the Pennsyl-
vania, Hale Holden OF the Burling-
ton, and Julius Kruttschmitt of the
Southern Pacific.
The board has co-ordinated rail-
road operation that the roads a:c
said to be carrying rs per cent. more
traffic than they ever moved before.
AS war preparations increased, traf-
fic became constantly heavier and a
month ago the war board named q
general operating committee for east
ern roads, and announced it would
pool all trackage and facilities, i,-
Guiding cars and locomotives.
Meanwhile, traffic had grown to
such proportions that the roads could
not handle it. and, in the east, lnsny
terminals were copgested with
freight. The war board has declared
that the only way to meet the sitaa-
tion, either under government or pri-
vate operation, is to deny transporta-
ton to non-essential products.
Little Opposition.
The war board, it is said, does not,
oppose government operation. Nor,
1t is said, do the brotherhood chiefs.
One of the new directors guiding pol
icies will be the elimination Of dupli-
cation and resultant waste in opera
ton. Mr.. McAdoo is known to be-
lieye that hundreds. of millions Of
dollars can be saved the railroads and
the American public by pooling traf-
fic and facilities. and that ultimately
the greatest benefit will accrue to the
railroads themselves.
It is considered improbable that q
large department with many en-
ployees will be created for the rail-
road administration very soon. The
railroad war board already has quar-
ters here and the secretary probably
will function through 1t.
4 wilson's Statement.
The presidents statement follows:
have exercised the powers over
the transportation systems Of the
which were granted me by
act Of congress- Of August, 1915. be
cause It has become imperatively nee
essary for me to do 90. This sisj q war
81 resources no less than Of men, per-
hhaps even more than Of men. and It
ii necessary Tor the complete mobili-
.ation 81 our resources that the trans
portation systems Of the country
should beSs organised and employed
under q single sautho ority and q simplt-
led method Of co-ordi dinati0n which
have not proved impossible under pri-
rate management4a and control.
" The committee OF railway execu-
ives who have been; cooperating with
ne government IN thts al important
natter have done the utmost that It |
NJ possible for them to- do; have
lone its with patri iotic zeal and with
reat ability; but there were dimcul-
iea that they could either escape
aor sneutralixe. Complete unity Of
DEMONSTRATION Is the present circum-i
fy0n fin ia oH- r. SO y 81