Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1920 — U. S. IN CONTROL OF RAILROADS [ARTICLE]

U. S. IN CONTROL OF RAILROADS

Interstate Commerce Commission Issues Sweeping Orders. WILL END THE FREIGHT JAM To Divert Traffic and Relocate Rolling Stock—Suspend All Rule* and Regulation* Now Governing. Washington, May 21.—The Interstate commerce commission Issued emergency orders, to stand until the traffic crisis is passed, which will have the effect of centralizing control of the railroads with the government. The full force of the commission’s sweeping powers to divert traffic and relocate rolling stock, Is carried in the orders. All rules and regulations governing normal movement of freight are suspended and in their place It is ordered that: “Until the further order of direction of this commission, all said common-carriers by railroad are hereby directed to forward traffic to destination by the routes most available to expedite Its movement and relieve said congestion, without regard to tho routing thereof made by shli*pers or by carriers from which the traffic is received, or to the ownership of the cars, and that all rules, regulation* and practices with respect to car service are hereby suspended and superseded Insofar only ns conflicting with the directions made.” Will Relieve Congestion. This drastic order will have the ef* Cect of relieving congestion on the main transportation systems east and west by utilising the smaller and less blocked railroads. The commission supplemented this order, which Is believed to be the vital move necessary to break the congestion, by the Issuance </f the following rules governing the operation of the order: “It Is ordered that Inasmuch as such disregard of routing Is deemed to be due to carrier’s disability, the rates applicable to traffic so forwarded by routes other than those designated by shippers, or by carriers from which the traffic Is received, shall be the rates which were applicable at date of shipment over the routes designated. Rate* Unchanged. “It is further ordered that In each instance where the traffic Is routed or rerouted by carriers by railroad under the authority of this order the carriers responsible for such routing tn rerouting, shall within 24 hours thereafter deposit In the United States mall a notice addressed to the consignee of the traffic stating: The car numbers and initials, places and dates of shipment, the routing and respective routes over which, the traffic Is moving and that charges for the transportation of the traffic, Including transportation and schedules of rates, fares and charges, as these terms are defined in said act, will be the same as they would have been if such routing or rerouting had not taken place.”