Evening star., 1944-06-30
0DT Acts toCut
Holiday Travel
ToAid Wounded
Pleads With People
To Stoy Home; Says
Casualty Lood Rises

Anticipating one OF the greatest
strains ever to be placed on Ameri-
can transportation facilities because
of the Fourth Of July week end holi-
day, Col. j. Monroe johnson, director
of the Office Of Defense nransporta-
ton, today warned would-be tray
elers to remain at home until after
Wednesday unless their trips are of
the utmost Importance.
THE situation is so serious that
every one who does not definitely
need to travel from tonight through
July should remain at home" Col.
johnson said. -
On the other hand, officials of the
Washington Terminal Co.. said there
had been a downward trend in travel
during the last week, and expressed
the belief that the holiday load
would not much exceed the average.
One official said he believed the
public in general was needing the
warning of the ODT against super
fiuous travel.
No Extra Trains.
Railroad officials said no provision
was being made to put on extra
trains. At the present time approx
mately 325 trains are coming into
the terminal each day, moving an
estimated 100000 people.
The Greyhound and railways
bus companies said they would
maintain stepped-up Sunday sched-
ules over the holiday period. The
former company is prepared to
move approximately 10000 persons
each day through its Washington
terminal and the latter firm has IA
cilities for about 1000 persons a
day.
The Capital Transit Co. said 1t
would maintain it's regular sched-
ules and treat July as an ordinary
working day. running its usual
rush-time complement of 1,400
buses and streetcars. Transit off,
cials said they would authorize ad-
ditional transportation facilities to
the recreation spots If the situation
warranted it. Extra streetcars will
be placed. in operation the evening
of the Fourth, they said, to handle
the crowds expected to attend the
"Calvacade of Freedom" to be held
on the grounds of the Washington
Monument.
Need Trains for Wounded.
The ODT has made arrangements
for a 15-minute Nationwide broad
east over facilities of the National
Broadcasting Co. at 10:45 tonight,
when Col. Johnson will warn his
listeners of the urgent need to do
away with unnecessary travel. ~
ODT officials pointed out that
railroads in l943 carried more. pas
sengers than in any other year. IN
their history and that this yeax the
load was running about, Is per cent
greater than last year. In addi-
tioh, they added, the railroads have
been alerted to carry increased cas-
ua1ties from the battle fronts and
that at the present time the casualty
load Is increasing daily.
At present railroads are carrying
about 100000 service personnel a
month either in regular troop move
ments or those travelling on fur
loughs. A recent order of the ODT
permits the railroad and Pullman
companies to put off any civilian
passenger when the space is needed
for members of the armed forces.
Tickets Are No Assurance.
Col. johnson said the purchase of
a round-trip ticket was no assurance
that space would be available when
the traveller wished to return. He
pointed out that one-half Of all
Pullman cars were entirely in mill
tary use, as are one-third Of all
coaches.
In Baltimore, railroad and bus
officials said they expected the
heaviest travel tomorrow, and had
prepared to use every available piece
of equipment. Pennsylvania Rail-
road officials said they expected to
operate 311 trains over the Mary
land division tomorrow, a movement
heavier than at any time in history
except for last Christmas eve, they
said