Evening star., 1933-06-25

ones In the most convenient sections of
the country, notes the capacity of their
outputs and the rest is speedily accom-
plished.
Transportation Intrigues.
1t is the transportation problem, how
ever, that holds fascination for the lay
mind.
At businesslike desk on the second
door of the Munitions Building, Capt.
Robert E. Shannon, assistant to Brig.
Gen. A. E. Williams, chief of the Trans
portation Division, sits within easy
reach of telephone, most frequently
late into the night.
At his beck and call are four repre-
eentatives of the American Railway As
sociation. The important key man OF
of the car service division of the asso-
ciation Serving directly under him and
the transport division are w. P.
Scruggs, manager Of the troop move
ment section. assisted by George G.
Roney and Charles w. Henry, assistant
to the vice president of the Pullman
Company. Mr.. Kendall is the key man
also for all freight movements.
Each corps area has its own railroad
representative cooperating with the
corps area commander. Charles Schanze
of the Baltimore and Ohio is the key
man at the Baltimore headquarters OF
the Third Corps Area All train move
ments within corps areas are decen-
tralized in the management of the
commanding general. Movements from
one area to another, routing and equip
ment orders are furnished by Capt.
Shannon through the three passenger
representatives or the freight repre-
sentative. In Capt. Shannon, the Army
has on the job one Of the most eXpe-
rienced transportation men to be found
anywhere. A veteran of the World
War, he was the transportation officer
at Hoboken, in charge Of all troops and
supplies sent overseas and returning
from overseas. Millions in men and
tonnage passed under his eye in the
greatest overseas movement the world
record number of $4,000 men passed
through Hohoken for France.
Supervised Other Projects.
After that gruelling test, Capt. Shan
non supervised the return Of $4,000
overseas dead and was originally in
charge of the pilgrimages of American
War Mothers to cemeteries in France.
He combines tact with force, each
equally needed in his present job.
Capt. Shannon is just as enthusiastic
these 1888 transportation plans as he
was over that record day at Hoboken.
For the way the railroads have CO.
operated, not only in efficient service.
but in exceedingly low rates, he has
only the highest praise.
Capt Shannon received his first
movement order on May 7. A company
Of POT forest recruits was to be con-
veyed from Philadelphia to Fort Hoyle,
{DI1 hat
day to the middle of last week. Capt.
Shannon pulled the strings that sent
53,210 recruits in 176 special trains
across the Continent from Eastern sec
tionS to military posts and camps on
the Pacific Coast, in Idaho and Mon
tana.
There wasn't the slightest confusion,
no interruption of orders, no miscar-
riages of plans" he said. Everything
went of like clock work"
Very rarely did the Office have more
than three days to make all the ar
rangements for these cross-country
movements.
Each train consisted OF Is cars
Pullman or tourist sleepers and baggage
cars-with cook car in the middle. All
these forest recruits-like the Doughboys
of war time-carry their rolling kitchens
with them whenever they entrain. Hot
meals are served three times day.
There is one cook car for every 500 men.
Routings and time schedules call for
passenger service. From Fort Meade,
near Baltimore, to Pocatella, Idaho,
the passage was made in two-and-a-half
days. The travelling time for recuits
from Fort Slocun, n Y, to Fort Lewis,
at Seattle, Wash, was an hour less than
four days.
Ready TO Meet Emergency.
AS in troop movements in war time,
the Quartermaster Corps has to be ready
to meet any emergency situation.
One Sunday at IL o'clock in the
morning, I was working in the Office.
Capt. Shannon said in explanation,
when telephone order came for five
special trains to be moved from Camp
Dix, N. j., to points Far West. They
were to be moved the next day. The
men were ready and waiting. Through
the cooperation Of all concerned, the
fivc trains, sure enough, moved prompt
ly on scheduled time"
From now until July /, there can be
no let up in the swift movement Of
passenger and freight trains to the
forests of New England, the South and
the mountain camps in the Rockies or
along the Pacific slope. Some of these
camps are located at places never heard
of before In Army circles. They are just
names and may mean a 40-nile ride by
truck from the nearest rail head. Sup
plying the trucks TO do what the rail-
roads can't do is just another part OF
the days Job.
AS indication Of the pickup in the
transportation movement, 40 special
trains carrying 1872 men were sent
out Of New York and New Jersey alone,
last Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday.
These trains required 342 sleeping cars
and 127 baggage cars.
In nearly every corps area. this train
movement was being duplicated on a
much smaller scale.
The apparent ease and speed with
which this transportation mobiliza ton
is being done DISCUSSES the 100 and l
details connected with each movement.
While Capt. Shannon was being in
terviewed, his telephone rang. He jotted
down on a stray sheet OF paper, orders
for moving from Camp Humphreys, Va,
and Langley Field, Va. 2,152 bonus vet
erans destined for New England camps.
They were to be sent into seven camps
in Massachusetts,, three in Maine and
che in Vermont. To a layman il looked
like a stable order, but Capt Shan
non merely shrugged his shoulders.
That one is easy" he said. Five
days to do 1t in"
Order Prepared Quickly.
He pressed a button and one Of the
clerks took the penciled memorandum.
Just make out an order for this" he
said. Within five minutes the official
order was returned 10 him.
That goes 10 the railway representa-
tives who will arrange the routingS and
all the other details" he said
Just like that. No hurry, no fuss.
But it tells the story Of a highly eff
cient organization that is working dav
and night throughout the country, with
the precision OF perfected machine
The Army had on hand, outside it's
national defense reserve a large stock