Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-13
FREIGHT CAR T|E-UP
MENACES |NDUSTRY.
Congestion, Due to Labor
and Car Shortage Assumes
Serious ASPECTS.

4 Imperative necessity for concerted
action to relieve the freight conges-
ton on American railroads in order
to prevent serious curtailment of pro-
duction engaged the attention today
Of all the government agencies which
deal with the national arteries of
transportation.
| Reports. from important terminals
agreed that while the situation was
I not as acute as it was two weeks
ago. 1t still threatened a slowing
| employment and economic disturb
ance.
! Shortage Of cars was given by
most authorities as the principal
cause Of the congestion, with lack
ct ADEQUATE personnel and motive
causes. The fact that the strike Of
railroad employees still was in prog
ress in some districts had depleted
! train and yard crews at important
gateway connections and prevented
a clearing OF these distributing points,
it was said.
Complaints Received.
Within the last few days the In
terstate Commerce Commission. the
railroad Administration and members
| OF Congress have received complaints
| that the big railroad terminals are
| checked with thousands of loaded
freight cars unable to move because
| OF shortage of men and motive pow
| er. Predictions have been made in a
number of the complaints that unless
| the traffic jam is broken it will be
reflected in decreased production.
slowing down of industry and a ire
| mendous labor turnover.
service of the American Railroad AS
ISOLATION show 235. 900 cars tied. up or
delayed in transit. OF this number
| $4,000 are at functions. with no labor
TO transfer them. Railroad men de-
clare there is pressing need for 3d.
All cars to take care of the most ur-
gent demands. Car shortage has hit
manufacturers who need coal. also.
The car service committee has been
advised that there is no coal at Sagi-
| nav, Mich. for the gas works of that
| city and orders have been sent to rush
coal there. The most serious condi-
| tions. 1t Is said. prevail at the gate
| ways. which are blocked with thou
sands Of cars. mostly loaded with coal
and foodstuffs.
Some Improvement Noted.
W. c. Kendall. chairman OF the car
service committee, said today that
| while the situation is bad. it is not
| nearly so acute as it was ten days
ago.. There is a big demand for coal
for cars for grain and from the north
, west for refrigerator cars.
Reports to the committee show. that
the tie,up was forced by the recent
railroad strike. No figures were avail
able at the Federation OF Labor as to
the actual number Of employees still
Tout. Representatives Of the train
mems brotherhood said they had no
estimate. although they stated that
$4,000 union members who went on
Atftka df0Yn3aco1
onered by industrial plants took away
thousands OF the men. Reports from
New England showed more than 10000
freight cars tied up. according to rep
l r OF the trainmen. Brother
hood reports showed many switchmen
out At Chicago, Youngstown and other
cities. but 1t was said Pittsburgh will
be back to normal in few hours"
IN appealing for help many shippers
declared they. were at the point Of
being forced to close their plants for
lack OF coal. raw materials and cars
to move the. finished product. The
congestion has already seriously in
terfered with production. Govern
ment omcials declared the stage has
almost been reached where It was
necessary for. the public to adopt
the patriotic attitude that prevailed
during the war. -
Canada's Attitude -Unwarranted.
With almost every complaint re-
ceived some opinion was expressed
as to the cause Of the congestion,
but officials did not undertake to
answer them. Newspaper, publishers
joined in the appeal. declaring they
were unable to obtain print paper
and might be- forced to suspend. In
this connection the railroad agencies
took up reports that. Canadian rail-
| roads were refusing to load white
paper for American publishers until
Canadian freight cars had been sent
back. While Canadian officials claimed
there were more than $4,000 Canadian
| cars in the United States, it was said,
there are almost. az many American
cars in Canada:
O6cials believe it will take some
time to get rid Of the accumulation.
hood men. shipping experts and rail.
! road men refused to predict.