Evening star., 1946-05-25

sible. More than 100 of the cars
were switched yesterday to the plant
of the Mutual Ice Co. for refrigera.
ton.
81 Freight Cars Moved.
A train of 81 freight cars con-
tanning perishable foods moved
through the yard last night, bound
for points in Baltimore, Philadel-
phia and New York
A carload of beef destined for
the Southern Hotel Supply Co. for
consumption in the District is due
to arrive Monday from Brunswick,
Md. Thomas T. Keane, vice presi-
dent of the company, said today
the B. & o. Railroad had promised
the delivery without specifying how
it would be made. The shipment
was stranded in the Brunswick
yard all day yesterday.
Officials of the American Truck
ing Associations, Inc, promised that
food would be shipped here by truck
from various points and boat owners
were asked to bring in food from the
Chesapeake Bay region.
Truck Mobilization Asked.
A special committee of the Board
Of Trade asked the District of CO.
lumbia Trucking Association to
mobilize fleet of approximately
300 to 400 trucks to be ready by the
first of the week for hauling food
and medical supplies into the Dis
trict. This emergency fleet was to
go into action if the strike continued
long enough to seriously deplete the
District food supply, Joseph C. Nc
Garraghy, president of the Board of
Trade, said.
Maj. Harvey G. Callahan, police
superintendent, issued orders to his
command to help scotch rumors of
shortages of all kinds, aid in restor-
ing public confidence by the per-
sonal example of the police them
selves and their families and for
the entire police force to stand by
for emergency duty. Leaves, except
in extreme cases, were Cancelled. At
Union Station the police will main
tain coordination between military
police and terminal authorities.
The American Meat Institute in
Chicago announced, according to
the Associated Press, that if the
| Nation had to depend only on the
meat already in storage, the rail-
road strike would make the country
meatless in four days. But spokes.
man pointed out that some live.
stock supplies have continued to
move to market by truck.
Packers forecast that meat would
vanish completely within two days in
some East and West Coast cities, but
that the Midwest would likely feel
very little pinch" The stalling Of
refrigerator cars in transit and the
impracticality of sending meat sup
plies to East and West Coasts are
vital factors in the meat shortage,
officials said.
Meat in stalled cars may be sold
locally if the strike lasts beyond
Monday, packing company spokes-
man asserted.
The Associated Press said that
great quantities of perishable food
and fruit produced in the South
were piled up. At Alexandria, La,
164 cars of fruit and vegetables
representing a $250,000 cargo, were
stranded. Growers faced staggering
losses.
If the rail strike continues, Geo--
gia peach and watermelon growers.
Alabama and Mississippi potato
farmers and many other producers
feared losses totaling hundreds Of
thousands of dollars. In Mississippi,
between 100 and 125 cars of pota-
toes and cabbages stood idly on
the tracks.
The Associated Press also reported
that information from San Fran
cisco was that staggering food losses
confront the Far West if the strike
continues for any time. Thousands
of cars of perishables, livestock and
foodstuffs are piled up in yards.
California food-producing areas
alone will require $4,000 railroad
cars to transport its maturing crops
within the next 80 days, c. U,
| Duckworth, assistant CaliforniA
State Director of Agriculture, said.