New-York tribune., 1918-01-01
Nc cAdooClears 4
Roads to Move
Food andF uel
All Other Priority Rules
Suspended in Move to
End Freight Tie-Up

WASHINGTON, Dec. 81. - Orders
went TO Eastern railroads to-day from
Director General McAdoo TO clear IN
freight congestion. regardless Of pre-
Vlous Government priority regulations
passenger schedules or any hamporire .
practices under the old competitive
system, and to pay special attention to
movement of coal and food
Lines of the West and South were
NoVl'lea that soon they might be called
equipment to help tighten she traffic
ouraen III The East. and q committee OF
GcyeTument officials was created 10
Wcrk out u plan for divertinc export
freight to ports south Of New York.
Quantities Of coal actually were started
moving to New England to relieve the
| serious shortage there and priority
orders were suspended for roads east
OF the Mississippi and north Of the
Ohio River to the extent necessary to
clear up congestion.
AT the same time the Director Gen
eral dissolved the Railroad War Board
az It's own request and named tenn
Pordr ry advisory cabinet of five mem
hers. One of these. Hale Holdene.
president of the Burlington and a mem
Der OF the War Board, Will supervise
the machinery which the War Board
has created within the last nino months
TO coordinate the roads Of the country.
Other members of the new advisory
cabinet are John Shelton Williams, Con-
troiler of tho Currency, who will have
charge of financial questions arising
out OF government operation; Henry
Walters, chairman OF the board Of the
Atlantic Coast Line, who also will as
sl.st on operation problems; the traffic
director of the Food Administration,
who VIII have general charge of traffic,
and Walker D. Hines. assistant to the
Director General
Other railway heads who made up the
War Board-.-Fairfax Harrison, Of the
Southern, who was chairman; Rea. of
of the Pennsy yvania; kruttschuitt' OF
the Southern Pacific. and Elliott, Of the
New Haven-will return to the active
supervision of their roads. but all the
sub committees and organiza ton of the
board viii be turned over to Mr.
Holden.
The question of increased pay for
railroad employees will be taken up soon
by Mr.. McAdoo. but he said to- day he
had given little thought to wages, and
did not know what his attitude would
be. Heads Of the four brotherhoods |
viii confer with the Director General
on Thursday at his invitaton and |
probably VIII urge that with the scarci- |
~ of railroad labor it will be neces- |
sary TO pay higher wages to retain men.
Many advisers OF the Director General !
advocate increased wages, particularly !
for many unorganized classes
The Federal Board OF Mediation and
Cancellations will continue to pass on /
wage disputes now pending, it was an
nounced after a conference Of the board
with Mr.. McAdoo, but eventually the
latter probably will handle wage
questions directly. The governments I
attitude toward wage changes will not
be determined for several weeks at
least. or until the pressing problems
Of speeding up transportation are
thrashcd out.
Mr.. McAdoo limited his comments
on the labor situation to-day to saying
that ne would treat the men with jus
tlcc and equity and would give "a
Just and square hearing" to the broth
erhood heads
The Director General conferred dur
ing the day with Secretaries Baker and
Daniels, Chairman Hurley of the Ship
ping Board Food Administrator Hoover.
/ luel Administrator Garfield and other
government officials.
(Adriso,y Council succeeds Rail-
roads War Boord-On Page 81.