Evening star., 1921-10-12
DAWES IN NEW STEP
T0SAvE EU.S.FUNDS
Board to Check Leakage in
Money Paid Railroads by
Classification Errors.

Leakage of thousands Of dollars Of
government funds into the railroad
Golfers through wrong classification
of shipments and wrong routing Is to
be checked through the appointment
Of a Federal Traffic Board provided
for by Brig. Gen. Charles G. Dawes,
director of the bureau of the budget,
today. r .s
Every department and independent
bureau 0f the government fsf to aps
point member of the traffic board,
which viii come under the United
||iafs a ssIaS 81 n ses Sf sse Ss
+ AS soon as the board Il ferme6 a
committee of practical railroad men
will be invited to confer with. the
governments representatives regard
Ing the changes. which will involve
. complete relisting and reclassifica-
tion Of government shipments.
( Under the present system. accord
Ing to Gen. Dawes, the classification
committees of the railroads in speci-
flying rates applicable to thousands
Of articles listed in the classification
have given the government little or
no consideration As to the volume or
In addition to the expected saving
Of government funds through these
practices. the work Of the board is
expected to bring about greater eff
cheney in handling government ship
ments and prevent much duplication
now found to prevail.
The report of r. C. Caples. the ex-
pert who has been examining the sit
uation for the budget bureau, esti-
mated that the government transpor-
tation bill annually is $1,000 100000.
In the present situation. said Gen.
proper classification Of articles ship
ped by the United States and gov
ernment classification is out of line
with commercial business. The
board will relist government prop
erty under commercial names raw
ernment are many times billed as
finished products.
Ehe general said that the saving to
be- effected Though proper handling
of the governments traffic, including
reclassification, the correct routing
number OF the various rate groups
and departmental traffic departments,
Is difficult to compute, but should be
large.
diction over freight shipments. but
will have general supervision Of ham
ding express, parcel post and pas
1T shall be the duty Of the Federal
Traffic Board to make a complete
fronting the various departments and
Independent establishments Of the
eoyernm ment," the order says. TN. CO.
operation with representatives OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission and
the carriers. 1t will establish uniform
n
Including raw materials. as well as
finished products. shipped by the gov
ernment, so that shipments may be
made at the lowest tariff rates. The
board will draw up plans for i'm.
proving and standardixtng methods Of
making shipments. and for the settle
ment Of accounts. These plans will be
suhnitted to the chief co-ordinator.
general supply, who will take the
necessary action in each case. +
Other Rules In Order.
'"The classification Of commodities
and the instructions governing ship
ments and methods OF settling trans
portation accounts that are adopted
by the board and approved by the CO.
ordinator for traffic shall, as far as
applicable and in conformity with
law, be binding upon and govern all
departments, bureaus. agencies ana
offices Of the government in all ship
ments made by them. ~,
"All questions pertaining to .Sthe
classification Of materials or terminal,
switching, freight rates, etc. which
require the application Of remedia3
measures will be submitted to the co:
ordinator for traffic, either for ..ads
instment with the classificatioh conn
mittees representing the carrier Or
for. the presentation Of . complaint
with the Interstate Commerce. Com
mission. .,'s5 : y e. r. ss-..,s.
.In the event Of dfsagrsemantSa4ta
Shipments and methods of settling
Transportation accounts pr On, nieth.
ods Of procedure, the case win be
submitted to the chief co-ordfnatpr
for general supply. whose daeiston
shall be final as to the action taken,
subject only to an appeal to the head
Of the department concerned" ~.