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Show bih mum IEIIS MB PLOUGHED OP Ballard Dunn, special representative of the Association of Western Railroads, Rail-roads, and one of brightest publicity men in the country, Is an Ogden visitor visi-tor on a trip of inquiry. In an interview inter-view today, he said: "Preparedness at home is now as important as preparedness in the army and navy. The most urgent need is for foodstuffs. We must remember that within a few months nearly a million men will bo withdrawn from production in this country and that these men will become greater consumers con-sumers than ever of foodstuffs, because be-cause all of them will be engaged in hard physical work. "As soon as Congress voted for the state of war I wired home and gave instructions that the tennis grounds on my place near Chicago and my lawns should be ploughed, up and planted to potatoes. This will not add much to the sum total but it will mean at least three additional acres under cultivation. "In 1S9S I joined the army and carried car-ried a gun and was ready for tho firing line. This year all I can do is to contribute to tho red cross and plant potatoes and that I have arranged ar-ranged to do. "Regarding the plans the railroads are making to care for tho war emergency, emer-gency, I cannot spoak in detail, for the reason that all of it is mainly being done in secret. I can say however how-ever that tremendous things are under way and that the railroads will -meet the responsibility, notwithstanding tho fact that tho present era of high costs will entail a very large increase in expenditures. "The high cost of living is a real thing to the railroads. It was recently estimated by an authority in the east that the increased wages made necessary neces-sary under the Adamson law and the extra costs of equipment that the railroads rail-roads are buying leaving out of the case the war preparations will mean a high cost of living bill of nearly $400,000,000 for the next year. This is increase only. "For instance the Union Pacific recently re-cently purchased fifteen hugo Mallet engines for use on Sherman Hill and over th eWasatch range at a cost of $75,000' each. Two years ago these same engines cost only $35,000 each. All told the Union Pacific will make improvements in line and equipment which will cost $25,000,000. Nearly $10,000,000 of this is chargeable to the high cost of living." |