Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-02-19
HOW THE RAILROADS SAVED ALLIES
A, Story of w. C. MeAdoo.

part such dearth played in the
Russian collapse is well known, is
at the present time the greatest dan
ger threatening the allied nations Of
Europe.
ARMY RATIONs CUT
By TWO NATIONS.
Grave as this message was, the sit
uation as presented orally by the repre-
sentatives was much worse. Mr.. Gray
reported that it was represented that the
rations of the Italian army had al
ready been reduced twice and the ra-
tons of the French army once that I'M
less food supplies were rushed to Eu-
rope Immediately and In adequate quaint
ties, starvation would certainly overtake
the civil populations of the allies; that
the armies could not be adequately sup
ported and that defeat would inevitably
result. All stated that if adequate
transportation could be supplied imme-
dtately, sufficient ocean going tonnage
would be made available TO rush food to
the allies ana thus save the day.
You will observe that the dispatch
stated that 100000 tons less than the
amount promised for the month Of De-
cember had been delivered in December
1917. The railroads were, until the 9th
OF December, 1917, exclusively in the
taken over on that date by the govern
ment
There was but one way to get the nee
essary food supplies to the seaboard, and
that was to do one of the most drastic
things ever done In the history of
American railroading, send empty cars
from the east TO the west with all pos
slole speed~and regardless of cost, and
oring them back as swift as possible
loaded with the necessary food supplies.
The greatest heresy in railroad manage
Ihent is 10 haul car empty when II
can be loaded But II empty cars Ind
heen held In the east long enough TO
take the loads that were offered they
would have been delayed In the east as
wen as at destination where the loads
had to be removed. These delays would
OF themselves have been fatal. II was
necessary to absolutely arrest the do
nestle commerce OF America until this
emergency could be met, and no author
lily except that of the federal govern
ment could have met the emergency.
Mr.. McAdoo issued Immediately TO Mr.
Ashton, the regional director at Chi
cago, the following order:
ON account of the vital necessity
or gathering and forwarding immedi-
ately all available grain and grain
products for our armies abroad and
the allies. you will for the present.
give preference and priority in the
furnishing OF box cars for grain and
grain products from the states Of
Illinois. Wisconsin. Minnesota North
and South Dakota, Montana. Nebaaq-
ka. Kansas and Missouri and Okla
homa with the exception Of less car
load merchandise, print paper and
paper pulp. The regional director.
eastern railroads. has been instructed
TO rush empty box cars to western
lines in preference. Please secure the
cooperation OF grain dealers, farm
ers and interested communities TO
facilitate the accumulation and
prompt loading of all kinds Of grain
and have traffic representatives ana
station agents instructed to aid in
this work
A copy OF this order was furnished 10
Regional Director A. n Smith in New
York with directions TO move promptly
all empty box cars suitable for grain
loading from the eastern to the western
region.
At that time the Pennsylvania railroad
and all other trunk line railroads were
so congested that no satisfactory move
ment OF empty box cars westward could
be secured over their llnes Regional hi
rector Smith Of New York. with unusual
skin and ability kept the great New
York Central artery open in spite OF
billiards and other serious obstacles. He
attacked the problem with energy ana
n continuous stream OF empty boz cars
began to flow 10 Chicago, where they were
taken by Regional Director Ashton ana
rushed Into each grain producing center
loaded with all possible dispatch. and 1
rushed back to the Atlantic seaports with
such effect that within thirty days the
emergency had been met and the crisis |
was over.
Mr.. McAdoo says: Il can not pay toe
great tribute to Carl II. Gray, director
Of operations at Washington; A. II. /