Evening star., 1945-07-24
Railroads Need
$4,000 Men,
|0DT Head Says
Senators Favor Fewer
Militory Weekend
Leaves to Eose Crisis
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

The railroads need more than
$4,000 workers but the outlook
for getting them is pretty
gloomy" Col. J. Monroe Johnson,
director of the Office of Defense
Transportation, told the Senate
War Investigating Committee
today as he finished his testi-
mony on the troop transporta-
tion problem.
When committee members. asked
how he is going to get them, Col.
Johnson replied:
by yelling my head off. What
else can 1 do? I can't draft any,
body"
One Step by Military.
Earlier, two members of the COM
mittee suggested that the Army and
Navy restrict week-end-leave travel
by servicemen while troops are be-
ing redeployed. Senator Ferguson.
Republican, of Michigan, said that
is one step military authorities could
take, and Senator Burton, Repub-
lican, of Ohio said he thought the
Army should review its own leave
policy during this movement of
troops"
Fifty to so per cent of those
travelling on civilian trains are SOL
diers or sailors" Senator Ferguson
said. 'Of course, no one wants to
stop man from visiting mis- family,
but there seems to be lot of pleas
ure trips"
Chairman Mead indicated he
thought the Army should consider
furloughing additional experienced
former railroad employees back to
their old jobs, on the theory that
the need for military railroad bat
talions will not be as great in the
war against Japan as it was in Eu-
rope and in earlier stages of Asiatic
operations
To Confer With Draft Heads.
AS he closed the hearings for the
present, Senator Mead told Col.
johnson the committee w.llzconfer
with Selective Service, thu War
Manpower Commission, military au-
thorities and other agencies in an
effort to do all it can to meet what
the witness said is the railroad bot
tleneck-manpower.
Throughout his two days on the
stand, Col. johnson repeatedly
charged the War Department with
failing to consult his Office on its
plans to redeploy the European
Army in 10 months, and with STEP
ping up troopship arrivals without
giving him advance notice.
The War Department issued a
statement last night saying it ex-
pected and would welcome an op-
portunity to send witnesses before
the committee to answer criticisms,
but had not been invited to do so.
Did Not Ask to Testify.
Rudolph HALEY, committee coun-
sell said today that the Army was
invited. and did have representa-
tives at the hearing, but that no
other agencies, including the Army,
has asked permission to testify. He
announced that, unless they make
such a request, the committee does
not plan to call any more witnesses
for open hearings.
When Col. johnson estimated the
railroad manpower need at more
than $1,000 men, Senator Mitchell,
Democrat, of Washington reminded
him of testimony that his Office had
asked the Army to furlough 10000
former railroad employees, the Sem
ator inquired if that was his MAXI
mum request to the Army.
The witness replied that was one
specific request, relating only to the
needs of group of Western rail-
roads.
Chairman Mead took notice of
published reports from France that
the Army now is planning to send
more of the soldiers direct from
the European to the Pacific war
areas by ship.
Mead Cites Alternative.
Personally. I believe that would
be unfortunate, Senator Mead said.
Il think 1t would be better to give
the railroads $4,000 or 100000 men"
Col. johnson said there has been
noticeable improvement in the past
two weeks in public cooperation on
the appeal to cut down civilian
travel.
THE way the public is behaving
now, I think we will get by" he
said, calling attention to the ban
on Pullman trips of 450 miles or
less, and the rule against making
reservations more than days in
advance.
War Department Studies Plan,
Asked for further details on his
statement yesterday that domestic
air and bus lines might be pooled
along with railroad cars for troop
redeployment, Col. johnson said it
still is the subject of study with
the War Department.
Col. johnson again insisted TODAY
that with more notice from the
Army of troop movements, his office
could arrange to give the soldiers
more comfort in transportation
after they land.
When Senator Mead suggested the
Army consider furloughing more of
the 100000 former railroad employees
In the armed forces, Col. johnson
said, I agree with you thoroughly. .
Too Late for Construction.
The ODT director told Senator
Ferguson that it is too late to talk
about building any new railroad
equipment in time to meet the cur
rent railroad problem-that the only
relief in sight is to obtain the per-
sonnel to make full use of what 10
available.
Mr.. Haley asked Col. johnson
when the peak of the redeployment
load would be reached. Col. John-
son said he understood it would be
February, 1916. That the transfer
OF men from Europe to their homes
and then to the Pacific involves
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