Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-15
DAMN THE TRADITIONS!
MOVE THE FREIGHT!"

a A RELATED decision has been reached
by the Shipping Board to station in
New York "a controller Of operations and
establish in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Bos.
ton. San Francisco, Norfolk, Mobile. Jack
s sonville, Charleston, New Orleans and Gal
shipping men In charge"
II is difficult. we realize. to change
A trade current as it is also difficult to put
river In another bed but when the history
z Of the transportation problem in America is
written the chief criticism by the historians,
we believe, will be directed at the abortive
attempt to concentrate the export business
Of the nation in New York. We do not
know what influence Mr. McAdoo has with
\ the Shipping Board. but we suspect that
days ago he determined to smash the New
York tradition in the interest of efficiency
and make exports move even If they did
get to the ocean through other waters than
those about Manhattan. Assuming that
the present vast volume of exports could
be handled expeditiously after arrival in
New York. which is not the case, we should
still be confronted with the folly of moving
goods ninety miles beyond 'Phnadephia
when that long haulage could be avoided.
to the saving of time, coal and money, by
transference to ships at Philadelphia
z 1t may be true that competitive condi-
tions, under the discarded system of rail.
-Nroad operation, required rate-making that
Stattracted freight to New York, but profit
q making is no longer the purpose of rail
fpading. There is now but one design in
view. and that is the rapid handling of
essential products. What we are after is
4 prompt delivery Of supplies in Europe, not
only for our own troops, but for our Allies
a. well. Congestion is bad enough If it
s occurs over there and it Is almost fatal II
Il occurs here.
The vastness of the problem does not
lessen the necessity for solution. In 1915
the railroads of the country carried 274,-
0OO, ,000,0 900 tons one mile 1t is estimated
100. .o0o. .o0o, 900 tons. which increase alone is
4 greater than the entire normal tonnage car
ried by the railroads of Great Britain,
& France, Germany, Austria and Russia put
together. This titanic load has not merely
weighted down the railroads, but it has
meant the virtual collapse of "a terminal
system which was built up under the OBJ
& session that all incoming and outgoing
freights must pass through New York.
The day of arbitrary differentials OF one
sort or another, concocted TO force business
S 70 New York, definitely became obsolete
khs moment we entered the war. This fact
should Instantly have been recognized. 1t
Was appreciated in a limited sort of way,
but congestion has grown more and more
.9ncute In the New York territory and there
" no evidence to indicate that proper em-
= p10ynient of the other great ports of the
y country was sought. 1t may be true or not,
Il but II is popularity supposed that when
Z Henry Ford went to Washington the first
thing he did was to insist that the tension
S. % New York terminals and railroads Gen.
<.torjnE at New York be relieved by extended
<S Of terminals elsewhere and the rail-
i 6s serving them.
XYe do not know what the immediate
1ct Of the new policy of the Shipping
i5ard win be. but we do know that the
81 H1{r&nce of New York is sharply