The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, December 29, 1917, Page 8

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aN EE IPT eater SE Se PAGE 8 ~ FIRST ORDER OF WADOO APPLIES 10 SPEEDING UP Director General Tells Rail Ex- ecutives to Geta Move On Them. NO LOAFING ON THE JOB Personnel of Staff Yet tobe Created from Best Talent Available. Washington, Dec. 9.—The railroads of the United States passed into gov- ernment possession at noon Friday as Secretary McAdoo, designated by President Wilson as director general of railroads, was delegating to the rail- roads war board the task of operating them for the present. The war board, comprising five of the country’s foremost executives, who have been in supreme charge of the roads for the last nine months, were called into conference at 11 o'clock to disc plans for welding all transportation lin nto a single gov- ernment operated system. They left the treasury department two hours later under instructions to continue ‘their functions and to submit immed- jately a plan of operation to the direc- tor general. First Formal Order. Tonight Mr. McAdoo issued his first formal order designed to speed up freight movement, telegraphing all railroad presidents and directors in- structions to move traffic by the most convenient and direct routes. At the same time he ordered them to con- tinue the operation of their lines in conformity with the president’s proc- lamation putting them under govern- ment control. There was no indication tonight whether Mr. McAdoo intended event- ually to displace the war board with an organization of his own or to con-| ‘tinue its organization for the duration of the war. It was made clear, how- ever, that it will continue to function until the director general decides that! a better system can be devised. Most Expeditious Routes. ! The order that freight move by the} most expeditious routes opens the way for a pooling of traftic impossible heretofore by reason of statutes de- signed to prevent the practice by car- riers operated under private direction. It takes from the shipper the right to route his freight as he wishes and leaves to the railroad traffic manager | the task of sending it most directly and where there is least congestion. Although Mr. McAdoo does not be- lieve a complete unification of all rail systems can be brought about over night, even with legal restrictions lift- ed, he expects measures to be taken under government control will remove some of the Obstacles that now pre- vent the rapid movement of freight. Members of the war board were re- quested to study the situation and report on any measures to relieve con- gestion they think might wisely be Put into force. No Plans for Staff. Thus far the director general has made no plans for a staff, although it is considered likely that one of his legal assistants will be John Barton Payne of Chicago, now legal advisor to Chairman Murley of the shipping board. He asked the war board today for a complete chart of its organiza. tion, which was furnished tonight. In drafting into service the war board organization the director general takes over the services of all the board's committees including the op- erating committee of eastern rail- roads headed by A. W. Thompson of the Baltimore and Ohio. He obtains the service as well of the board’s car service committee, which is now as- sisting the interstate commerce com- mission in distributing cars. Pooling Equipment. Pooling of railroad equipment, al- ready started by the war board, will be carried much further under gov- ernment operation. Common use es- pecially will be made of terminal fa- cilities. An early measure to relieve conges- tion, it was intimated tonight, will be a denial of transportation to non-es- sential commodities. Traffic that is considered unnecessary will be cut off including both passenger and freight movement. This subject will be left largely to Robert S. Lovett, government direc- tor of priority. Men Government Employes? There was a question tonight as to whether the great mass of railway employes in the country—nearly 2,- 000,000 in number—now become gov- ernment employes. Some officials hold that they do not, on the ground; that the government in assuming con- trol of the railroads is only super-im- posing ‘‘s authority on them and that as the roads are owned now as before by their stockholders, railroad em- ployes are still employes of the own- ers of the roads. Railroad finances were touched on slightly at today’s conference. Legis- ation to guarantee the railroads pre- ar revenues has been drafted at the interstate commerce commission along the lines suggested by the president’s proclamation. This will be introduced | in both houses of congress when the president goes to the capitol to out- line his recommendations for financial arrangements. TENEMENT NEW YORK ASKS FOR MORE COAL New York, Dec. 29.—So numerous have been applications for coal under the card system instituted for the re- lief of families in the tenement dis- tricts of the city that the New York fuel administration decided to begin selling at once, 3,000 tons daily di- rectly to the poor. No purchaser will be permitted to obtain more than half a ton at a time. au organization will check up on the BISMARCK EVENING TRIBUNE a AUDITORIUM SATURDAY, DEQ, 29, 1917. Bismarck, Sunday, Dec. 30 Prices 10c, 15c and 25c Matinee 2:30 & 4:00, Night 9:03 Under the Auspices of the Bismarck Home Guards THE STATE UNCIL OF DEFENSE PRESENTS OVERNMENT OFFICIAL » a wg ia ctf Showing the Training of . “1917 RECRUIT” The Soldier in the Making Soldiers of the Sea--Ready for the Fight Trench Warfare, Sham Battles, Etc. EVERY FATHER, MOTHER, SISTER, BROTHER--OF A SOLDIER or SAILOR MUST SEE THIS GREAT PICTURE Tt Explains Why the Government Made These Movies for You NOT FOR PROFIT BUT TO CARRY THE FACTS TO THE PEOPLE There Is No War Tax to Pay Teaching Our Boys to Handle “FIRE AND GAS” The Business of Being in the Marine Corps. ‘deliveries as a precautiouary measure, hoarding \ Children Under 14 Years of Age Admitted to the matinee Performances Free BY "4 a 7

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