The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-31
RAILROAD WORKERS STATE THEIR
SIDE OF CASE ON PAY PROBLEM

certain quantities of food to feed
tie allied armies and civil popula-
| tons. Railroad congestion under
private management made it i'm
possible to keep these commit
ments.
Nation Faced Starvation.
In February, 1918, the situation
was extremely black for the al
lies" On the Sth day of that month
the president sent to Mr. McAdoo
collective message from the
prime ministers of Great Britain,
France and Italy. saying:
ID That the bread cereals sent
from North America were in De-
eember, 1917, 100000 tons below
the amount fixed by the Paris con-
ference; and in January more than
100000 tons below the adopted pro-
gram.
(2) That this deficit of 100000
tons had been caused by the con-
gestion of the railroads and the
lack of cars and coal and would
result in condition especially SER
ious throughout the allied states.
90 That the failure of the rail-
roads to deliver food had already
resulted in the rations of the Ital-
ian army being twice reduced and
the rations of the French army
once; that unless food supplies
were rushed to Europe Immediately
and in adequate quantities starya-
ton would inevitably overtake the
civil population of the allies; that
the armies could not be adequately
supported and that defeat would
undoubtedly result.
The railroad administration, upon
assuming control, Immediately gave
grave problem. Empty cars were
rushed west, loaded and then sent
to the eastern seaboard. The re-
suit was stated by Mr.. McAdoo 10
the senate committee:
Europe Was Saved.
con the 18th of March. one month
and one week after the February
meeting (Mr. McAdoo refers to
meeting CT Ta:.o-1 - govern
ment officials to consider and out
line plans for meeting the emer-
genCy) l had the pleasure of adj
dressing a letter to the ambassa-
doris of Great Britain, France and
Italy, informing them that loaded
cars OF food MAD accumulated to
such an extent at the leading At
lantic seaports that it would be
necessary to seriously consider an
embargo against the food move
ment unless immediate relief in the
way of ships could be afforded, so
that the cars could be unloaded and
put back into the essential COM
merce of the country"
The congestion of traffic had
reached such an acute stage that
on Dec. l, 1917. the interstate COM
merce commission submitted to
congress report sharply calling
attention to the critical situation
that faced the country
@Menace to the Public Safety"
On Jan. 2, 1918, Commissioner
Aitchson of the l. c. c. told the in
terstate commerce committee of
the senate, discussing this special
report: The conclusion which we
all reached was that existing con-
ditions were intolerable and con-
stituted a menace to the public
safety"
On March %, 1917. Samuel Rea,
president Oh JDe +. II. II, INFORMED
the interstate commerce committee
that railroad executives had reach
ed the same conclusion. He said
We realize that the condition of
the railroads today presents men
ace to the country, not alone to the
owners OF the properties, but as
affecting directly the international
situation"
Upon the declaration of war.
April 6. 1917, the council Of ma
tional defense organized the rail-
road war board. composed of Fair