Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-02-22
Why The Railroads Were
Taken Over By The
Government

"Why did the United States govern
ment, on January l, 1917, take over
the control of the railroads and OPP
crate them during the war and until
February 20, 1920?"
This question was answered by
William Gibbs McAdoo, former d.
rector general of railroads during
federal control, before the Senate
Committee on Interstate Commerce
on February 2, 1922. He said:
"In the fall of 1917 the inefficiency
of the American railroads made them
>unintentionally, but nevertheless act
ually, the strongest ally OF the Ger.
man Kaiser The collapse Of the
railroads under the burden of war
traffic had almost cut the line OF
communication between the Amerl-
can army at the front and its base OF
supplies"
When the United States entered the
war it had agreed to supply certain
quantities of food to feed the allied
armies and civil populations. Rail-
road congestion under private man
agement made it impossible to keep
these commitments.
Allied Nations Faced Starvation
On February, 1918, the situation
was extremely black for the allies. F"
On the Sth day of that month the
President sent to Mr.. McAdoo col
lective message from the Prime Min>
listers of Great Britain, France and
Italy, saying:
l) That the bread cereals sent
from North America were in De-
cember, 1917, 100000 tons below the
amount fixed by the Paris confer
ence; and in January more than 400,
900 tons below the adopted program.
(2) That this deficit of 100000
tons had been caused by the conges-
ton of the railroads and the lack OF
cars and coal and would result in a
condition especially serious through
out the allied states.
(3) That the failure Of the railroads
to deliver food had already resulted
in the rations of the Italian army
being twice reduced and the rations
of the French army once; that unless
food supplies were rushed to Eu-
rope immediately and in adequate,
quantities starvation would newt.
ably overtake the civil population OF
the allies; that the armies could not
be adequately supported and that de-
feat would undoubtedly result.
The Railroad Administration, upon
assuming control, Immediately gave
it's attention to this exceedingly
grave problem. Empty cars were
rushed west, loaded and then sent
to the Eastern seaboard The result
was stated by Mr.. McAdoo to the
Senate Committee:
"On the 18th day Of March, 1918,
one month and one week after the
February meeting (Mr. McAdoo re-
fers to a meeting Of railroad and
government officials to consider and
outline plans for meeting the emer-
gency) l had the pleasure of address.
sing a letter to the Ambassadors Of
Great Britain, France mad Italy, in
forming them that loaded cars of
food had accumulated to such an
extent at the leading Atlantic sea-
ports that it would be necessary to
seriously consider an embargo
against the food movement unless
immediate relief in the way Of ships
could be unloaded and put back into
the essential commerce of the coun-
try"
The congestion of traffic had
reached such an acute stage that on
December I, 1917, the Interstate
Commerce Commission submitted to
Congress a report sharply calling at
tention to the critical situation that
faced the country
Menace to the Public Safety"
On January 2, 1918, Commits
sioner Aitcheson, of the /. c. c., told
the Interstate Commerce Committee
of the Senate, discussing this special
report: "The conclusion were intol-
cradle and constituted menace to
the public safety"
On March %, 1917, Samuel Rea.
President of the P. R. r. informed
the Interstate Commerce Commission
that Railroad Executives had reached
the same conclusion. He said: 1--WE
realize that the condition of the
railroads today presents menace to
the country, not alone to the owners
of the properties, but as affecting
directly LHe lHtSEIdlloHil Sltuolioii.
Upon the declaration of war, April
6, 1917, the Council of National De-
tense organized the Railroad War
Board, composed of Fairfax Harri-
son, Julius Kruttschnitt, Hale Holden,
Samuel Rea and Howard Elliott, and
it undertook to secure cooperation
between the various railroad systems
between the various railroad systems
tee, Mr.. McAdoo says, the condition
of the railroads grew steadily worse
until there had been an almost COM
plete paralysis of transportation. On
December %, 1917, the Railroad War
Board confessed its inability to
solve the problems of transporta-
ton.
During this period not less than
committees of railroad executives had
failed to restore the proper efficiency
to the transportation system.
Followed Recommendations of |. c. {
1t was upon recommendations of
the Interstate Commerce Commission
and the confession of failure by rail-
road executives that the president,
on December &c, 1917, directed the
taking over of the railroads as a war