Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-05-18
RAILWAY MENACE
ST|RS WASHINGTON
. TO 0DRAST|C ACTION
Three Agencies Grapple
With Problems of
Congestion.
NATION Is ENDANGERED
RY CAR SHORTAGE CRISIS
Transportation Situation Sucks
Likelihood of American In
dustry Is Cry.
ARTERIES OF TRADE SEVERED
Next orty-Eight Hours May Bring
Forth Desperate
Remedies.
ARTERIES OF TRADE SEVERED
Next Forty-Eight Hours May Bring
Forth Desperate
Remedies.
IBy Universal servicel

WASHINGTON. May Three
separate government agencies today
Srapp!ed with tho railroad ca. short
age problem. cndeavoring to aver,
serious impairment OF the Hnancial
and Industrial structure OF the ma :
ton. The days developments were:
!. The Federal Reserve Roard
called a meeting TO discuss what
Federal reserve banks can do in cop
ing with the financial situation
:. The Interstate Commerce Conn
mission rushed TO completion plans
.or drastic Capitalization OF railroad
control.
VI. Senate Committee on Appropria-
lions and Interstate Commerce mot
with railroad executives to set nrs,
hand knowledge o. car-sbortayc
situation.
With both the legislative and ad /.
minlstra,ivc branches OF III. gov
crnncnt aroused 70 tho vital need OF
action to keep the nations transpor-
tation arteries oocn 20 prevent a cru
cial situation, the Interstate Com.
merce Commission is expected within
the next foriy-cight hours TO an
nouncc what practically will he re-
Establishment o. government control
OF railways.
Reports show Grave Danger. -.
Reports received by the commits
sion today from every section uf tho
country confirmed the cxis;cnce OF
an admittedly grave dancer TO in =
du&try and agriculture unlcsa food
and fnel supplies and the Industrial
output are made TO move with far
greater speed.
II is now univcreaily admitted by
government officials that the only
method Of affecting relief Is 70 in
cfcase Inc efficiency Of railway man.
asement hy coordination OF control.
inc railway executives hero state
tina, they Will agree 10 almos, any
measures. however drastic. that tho
commission decides arc necessary 10
place into effect.
The first great step to be taken
when the commission has completed
It's course OF action viii De to throw
all the railroad equipment o! the
country into ono gigantic pool, for
the Joint use ot all tho carriers
Shipments oI the vital necessities
OF life will be given preference over
all traffic moving on the railroads and
over even passenger tratfic II ncccs-
gary. This important move has prac-
! ilcailS been agreed TO already by the
railroads. II is understood.
situation Grows serIoux.
Valuable crops of foodstuns rot
ting In the fields; raw materials for
industry held up at their source.
with the possibility of extensive lay
CHS of labor: the coal output danger
ously rcduccd-these are only three
siants at the enormous problem con-
fronting the country today as a re-
suit of the ear shortage. according TO
the conservative views of officials
who arc in too close contact with the
situation 10 spread alarm!st reports
y report issued today by the Geo
logical Survey showed that the par
tial paralysis OF the transportation
system has resulted in n coal prod,ic-
;ion for Industrial purposes reaching
low ebh. In some instances the ef-
feet OF the transportation disability
amounted to reduction in output OF
the mines as much as 60 per cent dur
| ing the past week. II this situation
is not Immediately rcmcded. ofhcia Is
= fear coal famine will be added 10
the list OF industrial problems hingins
on the car shortage.
The recent outlaw switchmcn's
and yardmen's strike on some Of the
principal railroads, il is undcrst ood.
serves further 10 aSgravate the sit
uation Although this strike osten-
! a &c
here within tho last few days indi-
cate that many of the men have not
returned to work. This serves great
! ly to hamper the movement of freight
Through rail Eatewsys and junction
points from Kansas City and st.
Louis to Buffalo and New York.
May Idberalfze Railway Law.
Congress. it Is believed, may act
shortly to libcralizc the provisions
OF the Cummins Esch railroad law
dealing with loans to the roads for
constructing new equipment 1t is
understood that the Senate Appropri-
atoms Committee. after comforting
with the railroad executives today,
may move to draft legislation, which
In view OF tho emergency is assured
1 speedy passage to permit the roads
TO start program of building equip
ment that would prevent "A rccur-
renee OF the present conditions.
AT the conference between mem
bcrs OF tho Senate Committee on In.
terstate Commerce and Appropria-
Ations and railroad executives. headed
by A. T. Thom. chairman OF tho cSecu-
tive committee. 1t was decided TO
rush through an amendment maxi