The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-01-04
That Is First Thing Under the
New Merger Deal
COMMON USE OF CARS
Government Now Has Control
Of the Country's Transporta-
ton Facilities
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch.]

ASSOCIATED Press D1Spatch.J
From Fridays Daily.
Washington, December 28.-At noon
today approximately 100000 miles of
American railway systems was silent
Iy merged into one great continental
chain for winning the war under
President Wilson's decision. This
great event, regarded by many as the
opening of new epoch in the govern
ment's operation and control of utili-
ties passed without any formal cere-
mony. Orders for the actual unfica-
cation of the lines, the common use
of facilities and equipment which is
expected to raise the freight jam i'm
mediateIy will be the first results.
Washington, December 2S.-The
work of systematizing the running of
the railroads as United States gov
eminent agencies is going on with
speed and dispatch. The railroad war
board, comprising heads of the large
systems, held a conference today with
Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo in
regard to various problems that must
be met in working out this great task
War freight and war traffic of all
kinds will always be given the prefer
ence. Some of the political leaders at
Washington in and out of congress
predict that the government war con-
troll of the railroads will eventually
result in absolute government owner
ship.
Will Have Efficiency.
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch.1
Washington, December 28.-As the
first practical step in the govern
ment's operation of the railroads,
Director General McAdoo drafted the
railroad war board into the govern
ment service to work out plans for
unified operation and submit them to
him for approval
Mr.. McAdoo will issue no orders
for the present but will await rec
concentrations of the war board be-
fore taking measures to clear the
congestion which is choking the rail
road terminals and tracks in the
east. Whatever can be done towards
efficiency will be done as soon as we
find what is necessary" said McAdoo.
TIC WHlSlICS 61SW.
limited Press Dispatch
Washington, December 28-At noon
today, when Secretary McAdoo be-
came director general of American
railways, the locomotives whistled
and rang their bells for ten minutes.
Mr.. McAdoo himself, however, was so
engrossed in the conference that he
was having with the railroad men
that neither he nor they were aware
of the fact that the momentous hour
had come
Pray For Railroad Director
UNITED Press Dispatch.I
Washington, December 28.-"Pray
for the director general of railways
of America for he needs your prayers"
were the words of parting uttered by
Secretary McAdoo, after conference
together with group of newspaper
representatives. "No sane man would
care to hold a position of such mo-
mentous responsibilities. Remember
one thing, this administration is run
ming things periodically and without
political bias"
Will Keep Board.
limited Press Dispatch1
Washington, December 28.-Secre-
tary of the Treasury McAdoo, the fed
eral director of railways, today decid-
ed to keep for the present in control
of the railways the war board of
private railroad executives. He had a
ninety minute conference with that
board today. The board includes
w. Elliott, president of the
New York, New Haven and Halifax
and also connected with the Northern
Pacific; d. Kruttschmitt, Of the South
ern Pacific; Hale Holden of the Bur-
lington; Simon Rea of the Pennsyl-
Yania lines. and others.