The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-10-25
OFFICIAL FACTS
(By Harvey O'Higgins, Associate
Chairman, Committee on
Public Information)
OUR RAILROAD PROBLEM

When the railroads of this coun-
try were taken under Federal con-
troll, they were suffering from the
effects of a long period of various
sorts of adversely. The measure
of their recovery under government
management has now been put into
figures by Mr.. McAdoo, the Director
General.
Taking the cases of the railroads
of class (which are roads having
an operating income of more than
a million dollars year-he finds
that the number of tons of revenue
freight carried has increased 8.9 per
cent.
The number of freight cars in
service has increased 81 per cent.
The number of tons hauled per
train has increased SO per cent.
The average car load has been
Increased IA per cent.
Taking Philadelphia and Pitts
burg as experimental points, he finds
that the tonnage there delivered has
increased 8 per cent and the num-
Der of cars used has decreased per
cent. The number of tons per car
has increased 10 per cent. This in
crease, he says eff it were general
throughout the country would be
equivalent to the addition of 432,-
900 cars to the equipment of the
country's railroads"
Under Federal control the num-
Der of railroad officials drawing sal
aries of $4,000 year or over has
been reduced by 400 and $4,615,000 a
year has been saved. The expense
of the law department have been
reduced $1,500,000 a year.
By the consolidation of ticket Of
fices, and the abandonment of COM
petition, it is estimated that $685.
566,633 will be saved. And of this
amount, 100000 will be saved on
advertising bills.
At the same time wages have been
raised; the eight hour day has been
granted; women are receiving the
same pay as men for the same sort
of work; and negroes are no longer
being Disseminated against in their
wages and conditions of employment.
Freight routes have been shorten
ed. Cars and locomotives are being
standardized. A universal mileage
book, good on all roads, is being
adopted. by the consolidation of
terminals efficiency has been in
creased and one cause of great in
convenience to travellers has been
removed.
1t remains true, however, that the
first aim of the railroad administra-
ton is to move the men and ma
terial needed by the Government
war program. To this, everything
else is subordinated. The savings
in expenses, the Improvement in the
conditions of labor, and the SIM
plication of the service for the
travelling public are all matters of
secondary Importance. The first
aim is to help win the war, and
the improvement in the health of
the roads is being devoted primarily
to the task.
ATROCITY STORIES
An Associate dPress dispatch from
London sometime ago reported that
there was current in Amsterdam
rumor to the effect that soldiers
of the Forty second American Divis-
ion had killed $50 German prisoners
near Rheims on July Is, in retalia-
ton for alleged losses sustained by
our troops in action. VOLTS Bu-
reau, which is German press bu-
reau, endorsed the story as given
con creditable authority" and it
was featured in the German news
papers.
Our War Department has made
an official investigation of the
charge. Testimony has been obtained
from thirty-eight officers who were
in command of our troops in the
action of July Is. No German
prisoners we're killed by American
soldiers there, nor were any mis-
treated "On the contrary" the
War Department finds "the prison.
ers were well treated, the wounded
cared for and carefully transported
to the rear, and the prisoners given
food, drink and cigarettes. In at
least one case a wounded prisoner
was carried, while one of our wound
ed officers walked"
1t is obviously wise policy on the
part of our military authorities to