Evening star., 1918-02-24
NEW LETTERS PASS
IN FO0D-RA|L CLASH
Director General McAdoo Says
Mr.. Hoover Does Not Touch
Points He Emphasized.
FRIENDLY THEY DECLARE

Another interchange of letters regard
ing the food situation took place last
evening between Herbert C. Hoover.
food administrator. and William G.
McAdoo. director general of railroads.
Mr.. Hoover. in replying to letter
from Mr.. McAdoo sent Friday, stated
to the director general Of railroads:
IT am certain that this assurance
from you will greatly quiet the grow
ing apprehension in the country Of the
last few weeks
Mr. McAdoo replied within few
hours by stating:
"I am just in receipt Of your letter
Of the 23d. You do not, however. touch
the points Of my letter. l should like
Ito enumerate and emphasize them"
The director general then reiterates
that Mr.. Hoover is the sole purchaser
in this country of food supplies for the
allies, and requests that the railroad
administration be informed specifically
las to where the food to be moved rests,
to what ports 1t is to be sent, and adds:
"I will guarantee the necessary trans
porta ton, subject alone to Interruptions
from blizzards and floods"
Point to Ship Situation.
Railroad administration officials
pointed to the report thu virtually no
ships in New York harbor were held
up by lack of food cargoes as proof
that the movement of foodstuffs is sat-
isfactory. Some ships are detained at
south Atlantic and gulf ports, they said.
because grain merchants of the west
are not loading cars as rapidly as had
been expected.
Reports to the food administration
continued to tell of shortage of cars.
however. particularly for the trans
portation of grain products eastward
from western primary markets. The
railroad administration offered the ex-
planation that if this condition exists
| it must be caused by the failure Of
| shippers or the food administration to
make specific requests for cars.
The danger of serious food short
age in the east, to which Mr.. Hoover
referred two days ago in his statement.
which precipitated extensive public
discussion Of the relation between high
prices of food in the east and railroad
transportation, was emphasized less
yesterday by the food administrator.
Say Relations Are Friendly.
Both Mr. Hoover and Mr.. McAdoo ex-
planned that their relations were entirely
friendly and that their efforts to clarity
the food and transportation situation did
not represent a controversy either in
fact or in spirit.
Mr.. McAdoo said he was only trying
to help Mr.. Hoover and to do the best
possible for the country and that his
antagonism was for the kaiser.
Mr.. Hoover, after giving out COPY
OF his letter to the director general.
offered this comment:
Il have nothing more to say. Ny
face is toward the future and not
toward the past"
Subordinate officials of the food and
railroad administrations, however, did
not display the same degree of friend
Illness Railroad men referred to re-
ports that food shippers had not al
ways utilized the empty cars supplied
them and cited the case of a Lawrence,
Kan. elevator operator, who they
claimed did not load more than three
side track on reQuisition of the food
| administration. Food administration
men said the case was exceptional.
Congestion on Eastern Lines.
Congestion on eastern lines was only
slightly improved yesterday over Fri
day. Reports to the railroad admin
| eastbound loaded cars more than
, normal on eastern lines. Other classes
above normal were: Eastbound empties
Ais: westbound loads 31,O12, and
westbound empties, 17,718.
Mr.. Hoover's letter to Mr.. McAdoo on
the food movement was as follows:
Il am grateful for your note of the
22d. and l wish to express the great
relief of myself and my colleagues at
your assurance that not only will the
allied foodstuffs be promptly moved,
but that there will be no delays in our
domestic distribution causing any
danger of suffering. which necessarily
implied the collection of our food ma
terials from the country to our terni-
7 nails. mills and packing houses before
either the domestic or allied supplies
m q a1 fn 4 y~a ,sYN<Sv trfj
to points of consumption or export
81 am certain that this assurance from
you will greatly quiet the growing appre-
hension in the country of the last few
Mr.. McAdoo's Reply.
Mr.. McAdoos reply follows:
Il am just in receipt of your letter of
points of my letter. l should like to
enumerate and re-emphasize them.
cd You are. as l understand it, the
sole purchaser in this country of food
! supplies for the allied governments.
"(2) You must, therefore, know the
location of the food supplies which you
from time to time purchase and the ports
in the United States to which you desire
such supplies shipped.
"(3) If you will notify me from time
| to time OF the location of the specific sup
plies and the port or ports in the United
States to which you wish to have such
supplies tIdHSpOIIeo, Will guarantee tne
necessary transportation. subject alone to
Interruptions from billiards. and floods
Il am eager to cooperate with you to
| relieve all anxiety about food supplies
for the allies. viii you cooperate with me
by promptly furnishing me with the es-
sential information called for in items 1
and above? If you do, the transportation
will be provided. You can readily under
stand that generaliZations will not accom-
plish the object in view and that we must
be specific in order to get results"
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