Early in the fall of 1917 it was seen that, because of inadequate transportation facilities and of a tremendously increasing demand for coal by the war industries, there would be a shortage of fuel during the winter.  Accordingly a Fuel Administrator was appointed who regulated the distribution of fuel.  Industries essential to the war were supplied, while those that were not doing needful work had their supply reduced or cut off altogether.  As it happened, the winter of 1917-1918 was exceedingly severe, freight congestion became worse and worse, and the shortage in the industrial centers was even greater than had been anticipated.  The control of fuel saved the people of the northeastern section of our country from much distress, and assured a supply of fuel for war purposes.

Later in 1918 householders and mercantile establishments were allowed only a portion of their usual coal supply, the number of stops made by street railway cars was reduced, and window and other display lighting was forbidden on all but two nights in the week.  An act of Congress directed that from the last Sunday in March till the last Sunday in October all clocks must be set one hour ahead of time.  This regulation brings more of our activities into the daylight hours and so cuts down the use of artificial light.  By these methods much coal was conserved for the use of factories engaged in war work.

TRANSPORTATION CONTROL.—­Soon after war was declared, the railroads of the country put themselves at the disposal of the government in order to take care of the increase in transportation service required by the state of war.  The nearly seven hundred railroads of the country were organized and run as a single system under the direction of a Railroads’ War Board, composed of some of the chief railroad officials.

Passenger train service was reduced, chiefly in order to provide for the transportation of several million soldiers to and from training camps.  Freight cars and locomotives from one railroad were kept as long as they were needed in the service of another.  The roads no longer competed with each other for freight, but goods were sent over the road that had, at the time of shipment, the most room for additional traffic.  At the end of 1917, as a measure of economy and to secure even greater unity of organization, the government took over the control of the railroads for the period of the war.  As Director General of Railroads, the President appointed William G. McAdoo, who was also the Secretary of the Treasury.

Half a year later, the government likewise took over, for the duration of the war, the operation of telegraph and telephone lines, which were placed under the control of the Postmaster-General.