The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-06-06
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Washington, d. G.
RAILROAD TEST

holds a special significance. 1t will
indicate whether government opera
ton of railroads may be necessary.
In June the nations railroads will
meet their, first crucial test OF
whether they are adequately
equipped to handle the enormous
increase in freight resulting from
the defense program.
When the wheat harvest starts in
the Texas Panhandle and continues
north, the carriers will be on the
spot to prove their determined con-
tention that there is no shortage Of
freight cars, and that they can cope
with the great demands of the de-
tense program without the govern
ment taking them over as in the
World war.
Railroad moguls are fully aware
that they face a decisive showdown,
and they are making tremendous
efforts to meet it.
twenty-five thousand cars have
been modified to handle the Texas
crop and strict rule has been laid
down that they must be kept rolling.
Cars will not be allowed to be used
for storage purposes. If ship
ment can't be unloaded without de-
lay, cars will not be released.
Cars will be peremptorally re-
called if shippers don't load. Cir
cuitous routing is being eliminated.
And the railroads themselves are
now distributing the materials and
equipment they will need months
hence, so that the maximum num-
Der of cars will be available in the
peak season next autumn. This
alone is expected to release 10000
freight cars.
Mechanical Cavalry.
It took war in Europe to do it,
but the U. S. army is now doing
whirlwind job of replacing cavalry
with tanks and armored cars. Even
Secretary of War Stimson's aide,
Col. Eugene Regnier, has gone in
for mechanization.
Commenting whimsically on this
the other day, Secretary Stimson
said: "After riding horses all his
life, Gene is now commanding the
first reconnaissance battalion of the
First Cavalry division. He rides in
a bantam scout car and has ar
mored cars and tanks under his
command. ! tell him this is strange
for a man who has sworn that
horses are the only thing in life.
But he says it takes the brains Of
a good cavalryman to handle a
mechanical unit"
Note-Colonel Regnier deserted
his swivel-chair job in Washington
for Ell Paso, Texas, where Gen.
lines P. Swift commands one of the
most active army posts in the
country.
Conscientious Directors.
Announcements that LOO consci-
entious directors will report to nom
military training camps in the next
few weeks are a lot of hooey. Real
fact is that only POI draft registrants
have even been classed as genuine
religious DIRECTORS.
Out of the 5000, 900 questionnaires
received from draft eligibles, less
than $500 sought exemption on the
ground Of religious scruples. OF
this number, 201 have been OK'd SO
far. They will train in eight camps
as follows:
Fifty at Camp Patapsco, Elkridge,
Md; IA at Grottoes, Va; IL at
Lagro, Ind; 80 at San Dimes,
Calf; 10 at Richmond, Ind; 40 at
Marietta, Ohio; 80 at Colorado
Springs, Colo; 10 at Cooperstown,
N. Y.
While operated by the govern
ment, the camps are financed by
private funds, supplied chiefly by
the Quakers, Mennonites, and Unit
ed Brethren. In some instances the
men pay their own costs, at the
rate of $35 a month.
Australian Opinion ON War
Prime Minister Menzies of Aus
tralia held some very important
conversations with high Washington
officials during his recent visit. In
these talks he expressed every con-
fidence that Britain would win the
war, but he was hard-boiled and
realistic regarding the time neces-
sary for q victory.
Coming from Australia, which has
detached and unbiased view of
the situation, his opinion Is irnpor-
tant.
During 1884," he said, "all of
Britain's effort must be concentrate
ed on defense.
During 1912 we can really begin
to concentrate our efforts on build
ing up a real war machine.
"And in 1943-with Americas help
we can take the offensive, and we
will win the war;"
MERRY-GO-ROUND
acknowledgements -