New Britain herald., 1918-01-18
M ADOO TAXES OVER
 700 LOCOMOTIVES
Engines to Be Used in East Where
 Most Needed

Washington, Jan. 18.-William G.
 McAdoo, director general of railroads,
 has communicated 700 locomotives in
 the course of construction for differ
 ent railroads throughout the country.
 These are for delivery in January, February and March, and will be turned over for service on Eastern lines, in charge of A. H. Smith, as sistant director general, with offices l. in New York city.
 Owing to the fact that congress has
 not acted as yet on the railroad leg
 islation recommended by the president
 thev vdirector general is without au-
 thority or funds with which to buy
 equipment. The locomotives com
 mandeered were contracted for by
 the railroads themselves before the
 period of government control. They wiH be charged to the different rail-
 road accounts and regarded as equip ment on hand when the government took charge.
 Many of the locomotives were in i tsAded for western railroads. They are not so badly needed there, how ever, as in the east. The locomotives are being turned out at the rate of five day at the present time, but it is expected that the output will be speeded up very soon by putting on \ additional shifts of labor and exerting ful capacity.
 May Take Foreign Locomotives. N The locomotive building capacity of the United States is said to be about 500 a month. At the present time, N however, the builders have some for M eign contracts which occupy much space. The prospects are that some E way will be found without much delay # for taking over of at least a part of & these foreign locomotives for use in AFthe United States. Among these are @20Qt for the account of the Russian government. A peculiar diplomatic situation exists in this connection, however and a scheme for taking # these over is not complete.
 In addition to the 700 locom motives S that will be put into the service other #locomotives now in service on west ern lines are to be transferred to east M ern Serritory.
 Mfr. McAdoo is giving much atten- etion to the agitation of some small S railroads that want to know whether Nor not they are under government 8 control. Most of these lines, which #@bES SuOTI dLu nave SCduL Flare not on a paying basis. In many @instances they can be in no sense re- # #garded as being a part of the trans @portation system of the country in it's k broad sense. It is clear that some Moi these lines at least are anxious for
 government control, so that they can #be put on a paying basis for the first
 time in their history.
 Tn this connection it became known
 khat the railroad administration re-
 gards all railroads in the country as
 Coming under government control by
 he presidents proclamation. This
 doesr not mean. of course, that this $ eontroI is to be permanent. If it is
 apparent that any particular short @@line railroad is not necessary to the $ success of the war it will be dropped $ and restored to the same basis as it
 was before the period of government X control.
 MT. McAdoo does mot believe this is
 D. time for "looting the treasury by
 such means. He cannot see why rail- x roads not essential to effective gov
 ernment operation of the nation's E Transportation system should be re- K tained and payments guaranteed.
 Such a course, he feels would be # contrary to the spirit of the present
 government optration-