Omaha daily bee., 1918-02-26
NATIONAL FOOD
and RAIL HEADS
Agree ON CARS
Discussion Over Delays in Sup
plies to Eastern Ports Re-
suits in New Plan of
Cooperation.

washington, feD. I9.--Out oil the dis-
cussion between the food and railroad
administrations over responsibility
for delays in food shipments has
grown a plan by which the railroad
administration will be furnished daily
with reports, not only on the car
needs for the administration, but for
the allies as well.
Within few days, the food ad-
ministration announced tonight. it will
complete an organization to collect
this information. The allied food
purchasing agencies will submit their
demand to the food administration,
and domestic requirements will be
represented by transportation agents
to 81 named.
To Work Together.
The daily report plan was decided
on in response to the declaration of
Director General McAdoo that he
would furnish all the cars necessary
to move food it the food administra-
tion would notify him where the food
to be moved was located.
In a statement, which precipitated
the discussion, Food Administrator
Hoover had asserted that railroad
congestion and lack of cars threatened
the east with food shortage anC had
retarded the food Administrations
program for feeding the allies.
Allies Purchase Direct.
"The food administration directly
purchases only minor proportion of
the food stuffs for the allied govern
ments," said tonights announcement.
The bulk OF this food stuff is pur-
chased directly by the allied agencies,
with the assistance of the food ad-
ministration. The arrangements OF
transportation rests in the allied
agencies and their complaints as to
car shortages and delayed movements
have hitherto been addressed direct
ly to railway points and the food ad-
ministration has been influenced.
"The food administration has now
directed the allied agencies to fur
nish it daily with their requirements
in order that they may be transmitted
to the railroad administration.
Cars Needed Badly.
fThe most serious problem is the
car needs due to delayed movement
of last years crops and of live stock
from the primary country points to
the interior terminals, the mills and
the manufacturing centers where they
can be purchased for export and
domestic supply. The presentation
of these needs to the railway ~ompan-
les is being met by the appointment
of regional transportation agents for
the food administration - already
established in Chicago, and proposed
at New York and Atlanta. Their
agencies will secure and furnish in
formation as to car necessities for the
primary movement of food stuffs to
the regional railway administration.
Shippers OF foodstuffs should
apply in the first instance to the
legal railway officials for cars and
upon failure to secure necessary |
transportation, they should for grain
and grain products apply to the food
administration zone managers; while |
shippers OF live stock and perishables
in the same difficulties should apply |
for the present directly to the food
administration in Washington. These
applications for cars will be put be-
fore the various regional directors
and will be daily reported to.the rail-
road administration in Washington"
c. E. Spens, vice resident of the
Burlington railway has been APP
pointed the head Of the food admin
istration transportation division in
charge of all these activities.
"The food administration is con-
fident that in view of the director OF
railroads assurance as to the supply |
of cars, if brought to his attention,
losses of food stuff through delay
and possible shortage in distribution
to the allies will thus be averted."