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Show Asked To Avoid Needless Travel Increasing tempo of the war ef-jfort ef-jfort and the increased demand on 1 railroads and buses has led to a renewed appeal by the office of i defense transportation, to avoid j unnecessary travel. It is pointed out that organized troop movements by rail are proceeding pro-ceeding at the rate of over two million men a month. This requires re-quires the constant service of over one-half of all pullman sleeping cars and nearly one-fourth of all day coaches. Railroads now are performing more passenger service than in 1920 the pre-war peak year, and they are doing it with only two-thirds two-thirds as many passenger cars and less than two-thirds as many passenger locomotives. Sample surveys have indicated that the travel of at least 25 percent per-cent of all passengers on trains and intercity buses is strictly nonessential non-essential trips to visit friends, trips home for the week-end, trips of a sightseeing nature, or other pleasure travel. The problem is growing more difficult because of the increasing man-power shortage. This makes it difficult to maintain full operating, operat-ing, maintenance, and repair crews. It is pointed out by the O D T that every unessential trip places an added strain on already overtaxed over-taxed transportation facilities. It hinders the war effort by causing a greater consumption of already scarce commodities and it is likely to keep a service man or woman from making a last trip home before be-fore going overseas. Again the O D T emphasizes that an unnecessary .trip delays or impedes the transportation of persons engaged in activities important im-portant to winning the war. . v |