The Washington herald., 1918-01-04

what Might BE.
President Wilson'S proclamation, is
ssed on December %. takes posses
sion and assumes control of each
sa1d every system of transportation
and the appurtences thereof" which
embraces the express companies.
No idea of the legislation to be sug-
gested has been given from the White
House. but it is said that among the
proposals will be:
l. Guarantee that the railroad prop
critics shall be maintained in as good
condition of repair as when the gov
ernment took them over.
.. Guarantee of a net operating in
come equal in each case to the average
net earning income of the three years
preceding June %. 1917.
3. Appointment of a financial board
Of arbitration which automatically will
adjust unusual situations" such as
the proper apportioning of earnings of
a company that has expanded greatly
in the latter part of the three years
term
f. Appropriation of a large sum for
working capital, possibly to take care
Of an increase in wages TO the en-
s,oyes Of the railroads.
Measure Is Prepared.
The bill has been prepared and will
be introduced directly after President
, Wilson makes his address.
Director General McAdoo had a long
conference with the railroad brother
hood officials to bring them into
closer harmony There were present
W. s. Carter. grand chief. and P. ].
Mcnamara, vice president, of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen; A. B. Garretson.
grand chief. and William Clarke, vice
pEesident. of the Order of Railway
Conductors; W. G. Lee. grand chief,
gaHi W. n. Doak, vics. president, of
the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen.
and II. z. Wills, assistant grand chief
and national legislative representative
Of the Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
sgineers. ---s'
Each OF the railroad men told Mr..
McAdoo of the scarcity of men and
the problems that they faced. They
said that they could assure the soy-
ernment that the men would be willing
to work overtime at the usual over
time pay. They pledged their aid in
every way.
The general question of wages
was not taken up. This will be
gone into today at a further confer
enee with Mr.. McAdoo. 1t is re-
ported on best authority that there
, is to be an increase in wages to
- men Of from fifteen to twenty
Pr cent. They demanded forty
i tr cent, before the transportation
risis became so acute. Mr.. Clark
laid he believed it most likely that
'the government would grant a high
advance to the men who. receive
the lower wages.
Following this conference. which
lasted three hours. Mr. McAdoo
took up the passenger traffic crush,
with the view to chopping of every
possible unnecessary travel cost.
He had in conference these general
traffic and passenger agents: A. Il.
>S41th, Of the New Haven; L. +.
Nsssburgh. of the New York Cen
!, ,tral; j. P. Andrews and r. E..
Wright, of the Pennsylvania; and
W. c. Hope. of the Central Railroad
of New Jersey.
They were instructed to work out
plans for cutting down the passen-
ger traffic to a minimum. This will
be done by making travel lust as
uncomfortable and discouraging as
possible" Instructions have been
given that there are to be no reser-
vatfons ahead.
Coal Reaching Furnaces.
Director General McAdoo said the
soal situation was clearing up in
the northeast, although an unpre-
eedented jam had been reported at
New York. There are approximate
1y $50. 900 tons of anthracite coal
consigned to New York, now in the
cars at the Jersey terminals. The
delivery has been delayed because
a the ice in the Hudson and East
pvers- Yonkers is reported com
,1etely frozen in and the floating
ice makes it necessary to use two
tugs to one boat, whereas under
I.ornal conditions one tug can tow
three or four floats.
Mayor Hylan sent a telegram to the
director general reading:
The city Of New York tenders to
the Federal authorities all the men
and equipment available from the city
departments and departments of the
respective borough presidents for un-
loadfnsr and disfrfh4afipv r.,al throuSt,