The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-23
DRASTIC STEPS
TO BE TAKEN
Continued from page IL

close entirely on those four days
would serve to give another Dreath-
ing spell at what is usually the osS
weather zenith in the east.
Lincoln's birthday falls on Iuesda!'
February -. and four day suspeA.
sion might be brought about tnen
with less annoyance than the recen.
one, ii is suggested.
Both OF these dates are being con-
sidered as timely for launching an
other general coal restriction order.
The railroad administration Is
waiting for an expression from the
country. II the demand is insistent,
Director General McAdoo may take
drastic steps Immediately to pull the
railway system out from under the
$. sxHy.s .e5r.-c;s:- 4. ,>Ssse,Hssse0~
AdtisIone Of two hundred lncomo;.
ffvssss f h 1l!e !l! ksdwin shops within,
thirty days. VIII help the situation,
the railway administration declared
These locomotives were built for
European service, but cannot De snip
ped now because lack Of tonnage pre-
vents.
II a complete freight embargo is
not ordered, partial emhargoes and
general diversion of freight 10 enable
coal TO be rushed through the neces-
sary points, will be put into effect
Passenger service may be taken from
some lines entirely and the track
age and rolling stock devoted TO
freight needs. Such action would &c
complish much on roads situated as
the Pennsylvania, which feeds large
industrial centers.
The weather continued to hamper
III
rector General McAdoo declared ne
was confident of success in the face
OF heavy odds
Zoning OF coal shipments in accord
aace with the Peabody plan, whereby
coal can be held for consumption IN
the vicinity where il is mined, Is
: probable step Elimination of cross
hauling is being planned under Nc
Adoo's direction.
IL was admitted by the director
general today that eastern railroads
were badly oyertasked-
TO curtaii Passenger Travel.
WASHINGTON. Jan 23.-To> cur
tail travel on the national railway
during the war. Director General Nc
Adoo may soon increase passenger
rates. Passenger trains also may be
further reduced later.
Called today before the house in
terstate commerce committee 10 ex-
plain what steps have been taken and
contemplated TO relieve freight con-
gestisn in the east. McAdoo indicated
that among other steps, drastic re-
duction of passenger traffic Is essen
tial.
For the present." he said. "a halt
has been called on the curtailment or
passenger trains because many state
commissions with the best of inten-
tons, started wholesale slashing of
this service.
Before the passenger service can
be reduced much more, in order to
prevent many disturbances, the great
amount of travel must be decreased.
When that time comes l think the
rates ought TO be raised"
AT the request of Chairman Sims
the director general first took up the
proposition of the bill appropriating
$50, aoo, 900 as a revolving fund
The railroads will do their own
financing under the government con-
troll PLAN McAdoo stated. but with
the government back of them TO sta
biliZe their credit"
II is improbable. McAdoo stated,
that the revolving fund will have to
be used TO make up deficiencies IN
operating cost.
The amount Of railroad securities
that must be natured this year will
be about s222, o00.0 00." the director
general said, with equal amounts for
1919 and 1920"
Turning 10 the status OF railroad
employees on a question from Repre-
sentative Esch. McAdoo stated thai
the railway workers are in effect
government employees, but technically
are lot.
Representative Winslow, Massachu-
setts, charged that many railway en-
p,oyes, believing they are in the gov
ernmeut's employ, are growing lax IN
their work
McAdoo sharply denied the charge,
saving his reports indicated the con
trsry. The spirit of both officers and
employees in this respect is most
gratifying, the director general said
Republican members OF the com
rufttes indicating they believed the
rate fixing power should be LETT WITH
the interstate commerce commits
son. questioned NcAdoo as TO whsth'
e lie intended 10 assume that power
NcAcoo said the president already
has that power bat that II VII MOI
De exercised Arbitrarily
The snterE-z1e commerce commits
sto-. Il L Er-e, will act a. an adyis,
CRY 5o5T bar frz Recommendations
virtually xiii be the basis for any
change X rates. he said
-B1t tae p-ezldelt, a-s commander
- ~-gfas z-so7zEE - urazmpered II