Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-01-03

Washington, Dec. 29-At loon today
h approximately 25o,000 miles of Am
erica1 railway systems silently merged
into one great continental chain for the
winning Of the war. Under President
Wilson's decision the great event. re-
garded by many as the opening OF a
new epoch in government operation and
control Of public utilities passed by
without formal ceremony.
As the first practical step in the gov
ernment's operation Of railroads, whicn
began at noon today. Director General
into the government service to work
out plans of unified operation and sub
NIT them to him for approval.
Director General McAdoo will issue
no orders or directions for the imme-
diate present, but will await recon
mendations of the war board before
taking any measures to clear the con-
gcstion choking railroad terminals and
tracks in the east
Whatever can be done to make the
roads more efficient" said Mr.. Nc:
Adoo, will be done as soon as we tlh0
out what is necessary"
No Moro Long Hauls.
One phase OF railroad management
which will receive government atten
ton. now that Director General McAdo
has taken charge is the needlessly Ions
haulage of freight for the purpose o
getting more money out Of the business
closely related thereto is the system O.
alleged collision between roads an
big corporations whereby h latter hell
to promote long hau.S at the eApeis'
OF the public.
The packing business Is q good illus
tration. Livestock is commonly shippe'
for many hundred miles from the Da
kotas, Nebraska and Iowa into chicago
only TO be shipped back over much o
=, <l~ Pawn ~ yn.,o + n
the same route IN the FORM Oh meat I.
high rates. The roads n the packer
have supported a plan whereby tn
roads got enormous tonnage and profit
eble baulage and the public suffere
and rates have been framed to hel
carry out the plan. Government OF
ficia!s predict that such tremendous
expensive systems Of haulage, OF Whlc
that cited in the livestock and packin
is an example. will gradually be roote
out.
The following five railroad execu
tives each a leader in the business
TRANSFORMATION will work out the plar
for welding If tho railroads n or
great continental system lof within
the war: -. >.
Southern railway.
julius Kruttschnitt, chairman OF Il
board Of the Southern Pacific.
Samuel Rca. president OF the rem
%sylvania. 49,
Hale Holden, president of the Blu
lington.
There appeared some doubt today
to whether III railroad executives q
sired to continue the railroad w
board. Fairfax Harrison, chaerma
said 1t was a purely voluntary organ
cation. costing the roads 100000 q we
to maintain.
Staff Not Selected.
MIR. McAdoo said he had made no a
rangements in regard to a staff, out I
presence at the conference OF Jol
barton Payne, Of Chicago, head OF
shipping boards legal staff. led to sol
speculation that MIR. Payne might d
come an assistant to the dlrector &c
eraI.
The railroad heads were visibly IN
better frame of mind after the confe
ence than they were before TALK
with the director general. Hale Hold
OF the Burlington, said that the ra
road heads Immediately would
about working u a plan Of railro
economy anG the pooling OF 1reignt:
Pooling, he said. would comp
much in relieving congested lines q
expediting freight traffic movements
'rhe immediate result of the orc
rIl, be 10 Wipe out competition q
reroute traffic over the shortest nm
Shipments will move directly 70 IN
destination. regardless of the compa
with which they originated n I
,n;nals will be used IN common TO
feci maximum efficiency. Speedy mo
1nent Of freight will be the first d
Of tho director general.
Employees Are Loyal.
Retention OF present railroad offscl
and employees seems assured. II II
cations are that huge salaries OF :
road executives will be reduced
wages Of operatives increased; r.
dent Wilson conferred with chiefs OF
So,Ir railroad hrothcrfoods yesterd
and received their l.edge OF loyalty
goyernIrent administration. The brt
erhoods have dcma ads for 40 per G
wage increases pebding with the I
roads, bur the governments definite
,itnde In this matter has not Deen
closed. II IL understood President y
- ....r<I sh. l,rnf ferh chlefD I