New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-18
Americans Cars and Loco
motives Giving Excel
lent Service and Are
Well Liked in France
S. M. FELTON, Finds
Progress i'm Europe
English Government Paid
Ten Times Amount u. S.
Owners Got for War Use

EMANUEL NJ. FELTON,, who was
director general of military
~ railways Of the United States
Army during the war, has just re-
turned from trip through Eng
land, Belgium, France and Germany.
Mr.. FELTON, was in France during
the war and had not been in Europe
since until the trip this summer.
While Mr.. FELTON, was in Europe
the English railroads were returned
to their owners and the French rail
roads were operating again under
private ownership.
The English railroads, Mr.. FELTON,
said, were now in first class physical
condition and the government Is
paying them 96O,O00,00O in set
Element of all claims-not as a
loan-in addition to the regular
rental which was guaranteed DUR
ing the war. "This amounts, on a
normal rate of exchange, to more
than $4,000 a mile for the English
railroad owners, whereas our gov
eminent has SO far paid for depreci-
alton and maintenance on
the American railroads where settle
ments have been made $1,000 a
mile"
Part Of the French railways are
operated by the government and
part by private companies. Mr.. Eel
ton said that the same stats as
far as operation was concerned as
had existed before the war had been
resumed. He had not made an ex-
tensive inspection of French roads,
but from what he saw be was of the
opinion that, except for the lines in
northern France. the roads were in
about the same condition as at the
time of the armistice, those de-
stroyed having been rebuilt in ac-
cordance with the best modern
standards and being now in better
condition than before the war.
The French Government has
established central board of d.
rection which is to coordinate the
operation of all of the French rail-
ways, extend financial aid when
necessary, and in general see
that operation and development are
carried on in a manner best suited
to work for the benefit Of all of the
railroads. 1t also serves to pro-
tect the railways in the matter of
rates, wages and working condi-
tons. Each railway system is op-
Grated by its owners as they think
best, only subject to the control Of
the general board, as above specified.
american, Materials
Although I am not sure" said
Mr.. FELTON,, "my impression is that
most of the rails and other ma
terials for building the northern
lines were the American materials
which we sent over for the use Of
the American Expeditionary Force
and which were disposed of to the
French" 1t was under Mr.. Fell
tons direction that all Of the trans
portation material sent from the
United States to France was or
dered and shipped, and he was better
able, therefore, probably, than any
one else to judge the efficiency with
which the French had used Ameri-
can cars and locomotives and shops
equipped with American machine
tools.
''The French like both our loco
motives and our cars. They find the
locomotives simpler than their own,
and with the machine tools that we
installed they find themselves able
to repair American equipment
quickly, efficiently and economi-
cally. Where they had been using
ten-ton cars they now find American
thirty-ton cars economical and
wholly satisfactory for consider
able part of their traffic"
Mr.. FELTON, said that Belgium was
n pidly recovering so far as indus
trial conditions go, but the rail
roads had not been restored to a
high standard. and the impression
one got, he said, was that they were
not in as good condition as the
French roads.
Mr.. FELTON, said he found thesGer-
man railways in first class condition.
he asked high German official if
1t had not put heavy burden on the
German railways to hand over to the
Allies under the terms of the armi-
stice 5000 locomotives and 150, 900
cars, and the German official re-
piled that they had hardly felt it
and were able now to take care of
any traffic that might offer.