Evening star., 1942-06-28
Railroads Maintain
Vacation Service
Despite WarLoad
Midweek 1ruveI to
Resorts Finds Support
Among Employers
BY GEORGE A. KELLY,
Vice President. the Pullman Co

CHICAGO, June 27.-Millions Of
Americans currently are wrestling
with the problem Of what type OF
vacation they can plan III this year
OF World War, what, II any, trans
portation will be avavilable and how
far they can 90 In planning trip
without interference with the Ma
tion's war EFFORT.
During the last few weeks hun
dreds of inquiries have been made
to the Pullman Co. by persons seek
ing information that will clarity
their own travel responsibilities and
vacation problems. The extent to
which this travel confusion exists
is indicated by such questions as
these: Il understand that civilians
will not be allowed TO travel at all
unless engaged in war work or have
special permission. Is this true and
II so, how can this permission be Sc
cured?"
AS its contribution to clarifying
summer travel problems the Pull
man Co. has been making an lnfor-
NAL survey among travel bureaus
and companies with large number
Of employees. The object is to dis
cover what type OF information these
people are seeking, what plans were
being made for vacations at other
seasons than the traditional vacation
months of July and August and to
provide helpful suggestions on trans
portation problems.
To Serve VacatiOnists.
Members of the Association OF
American Railroads met in Chicago
recently to adopt measures 10 enable
the carriers to meet the growing war
demands, but it was announced by
j. j. Pelley. AAR president. that
"the railroads will continue insofar
as possible, TO handle travellers on
vacation or recreational trips, as we'll
as those travelling on business and
war work, in keeping with the ex-
pressed desire of Government lead
ers to maintain proper balance be-
tween work on the one hand and
vacation and recreation on the
other"
Obviously, with the tremendous
load of wartime transportation plus
the additional demands imposed by
gasoline rationing and cessation OF
ocean travel, the American railways
will need the fullest possible CO.
operation of every civilian traveller
to meet the extraordinary demands
on facilities and equipment.
As an illustration of what these
wartime transportation demands
amount to I cite the troop trans
portation Of the Pullman Co. alone,
In the period from December I
through April 80 the company trans
ported nearly 2,o0o, 900 troops In spe-
cially assigned sleeping cars-more
than we're carried during all OF l94l.
Add to this the other hundreds
of thousands Of troops who are max
ing the shorter trips by day coaches'
In addition to the tremendous
amount of war materials the Amer
ican railways are transporting, ana
the problems which the railroad car
riers are working on day and night
become more easily understood.
Staggered Vacations Urged:
However, despite these tremendous
demands and contrary to rumors'
there are still accommodations 1or
civilian travel available. Joseph B
Eastman, director OF defense trans
portation, points out that the cl-
william population has In its own
hands two of the most important
measures for making civilian travel
particularly vacation travel, posi-
HI. The first of these is the sys-
tenn Of staggered vacations ana tne
second is the plan for taking TRIPS
closer tn home. In this connectlon
Mr. Eastman declares that, while
it may be necessary to restrlc'
large scale civilian passenger move
noents at certain periods ana IN
certain areas, no general ratlonlng
NJ rail or bus passenger tickets Is
contemplated for the lmmeoia'e
future" D..
Urging American vacatlonlsus 10
begin Immediately to consloer ou.-
of.s.ason" vacations, Hugh w. SID
dali chairman of the Transcontl-
rental and Western Passenger AS
sociations, says: The Western ran,
roads have a capacity, over anu
.bov. all military requirements 10
transport many thousands OF Vaca-
tionists to the mountains, the sea
shore and other recreational regions
nrovided vacationists will Utilize
train accommodations when tney
sr. available. On the other hano'
IN. railroads may not have the sur
Mus equipment to accommooaUe
every one if the majority o! Clie
people try to travel at the same
time" !,
Co-operation of big business IN
tn. plan for staggered vacations
already is apparent IN announce
vents from a number OF larger
rornorations Of intention to spreao
ont the allotted time for employees
vacations over a considerably longer
neriod than ordinarily. Other COM
nanies already have instituted pro-
grams of week day starting and eno-
ing Of vacations.
An instance in point is the recent
announcement of Holgar j. Johnson
nresident of the Institute OF Lille
insurance. that insurance company
presidents are working on plans
n start and end employe vacations
on tuesdays, wednesdays and
thursdays. The First National
rank of Chicago has also advised
the ODT of its intention to have
ali employees depart on vacations
on week days.
Vacations With a Purpose.
That civilians are regarding their
vacations as something more than
mere pleasure trips and will use
vacation tine to build up energy fol
wartime activities during the win
ter is indicated by the number OF
inquiries being received by travel
AGENCIES for out of doors spots which
RESORTS.
BRADDOCK HEIGHTS. MD.
COBLENTZ
vv@RY@N0