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general or special, hereafter made by said Director-General, shall have paramount authority and be obeyed as such.

The Director-General shall, as soon as may be after having assumed such possession and control, enter upon negotiations with the several companies looking to agreements for just and reasonable compensation for the possession, use, and control of their respective properities and such just compensation as provided by law.

But nothing herein contained, express or implied, or hereafter done or suffered hereunder, shall be deemed in any way to impair the rights of the stockholders, bondholders, creditors, and other persons having interests in said systems of transportation or in the profits thereof to receive just and adequate compensation for the use and control and operation of their property hereby assumed.

That none of said carriers while under federal control shall, without the prior approval of the President, declare or pay any dividends in excess of its regular rate of dividends during the three years ended June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seventeen; Provided, however, That such carriers as have paid no regular dividends or no dividends during said period may, with the prior approval of the President, pay dividends at such rate as the President may determine.

Except with the prior written assent of said Director-General, no attachment by mesne process or on execution shall be levied on or against any of the property used by any of said transportation systems in the conduct of their business as common carriers; but suits may be brought by and against said carriers and judgments rendered as hitherto until and except so far as said Director-General may, by general or special orders, otherwise determine.

From and after 12:01 a. m. on said 13th day of April, 1918, all transportation systems included in this order and proclamation shall conclusively be deemed within the possession and control of said Director-General without further Act or notice.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done by the President, through Benedict Crowell, Acting Secretary of War, in the District of Columbia, this 11th day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eighteen, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and forty-second.

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Possession and Control of a Certain Transportation System [American Railway Express Company]

Whereas the organizations for the conduct of the express business over numerous systems of transportation which have been duly placed under Federal control, and pertaining to such systems of transportation, have been consolidated into the American Railway Express Company which has been made the sole agent of the Government for conducting the express business, with the result that the entire transportation system of said Express Company has been necessarily in substance and effect placed under Federal control; and

Whereas it is desirable, in order to administer to the best advantage the transportation business and operations of the American Railway Express System to make it specifically clear by this proclamation that the President has the possession, use, control and operation of the entire transportation system of the American Railway Express Company.

Now, Therefore, I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States, under and by virtue of the powers vested in me by law do hereby, through Newton D. Baker, Secretary of War, take possession, and assume control at 12 o'clock noon on the 18th day of November, 1918, of that certain system of transportation called the American Railway Ex

press Company and all of its appurtenances and property of every kind or nature, directly or indirectly, owned, leased, chartered, controlled, or used in the conduct of, or in connection with, its express business.

It is hereby further directed that the possession, control, operation and utilization of said express transportation system hereby by me undertaken shall be exercised by and through William G. McAdoo, heretofore appointed DirectorGeneral of Railroads, with all the powers conferred upon him by the said Proclamations of December 26, 1917, and March 29, 1918, respectively, together with all and singular the powers conferred upon the President by the Act of Congress entitled "An Act to Provide for the Operation of Transportation Systems while under Federal Control, for the Just Compensation of their Owners, and for Other Purposes," approved March 21, 1918.

The said Director-General of Railroads may perform the duties hereby imposed upon him, so long and to such an extent as he shall determine, through the Board of Directors, officers and employees of the said American Railway Express Company, under the contract already made, and dated the twenty-sixth day of June, 1918, between the said DirectorGeneral of Railroads and said American Railway Express Company, and until and except so far as said Director-General shall from time to time by general or special orders otherwise provide, the Board of Directors, officers and employees of said Company shall continue the operation thereof in the usual and ordinary course under such contract.

From and after 12 o'clock noon on said 18th November, 1918, the said transportation system shall conclusively be deemed within the possession and control of said DirectorGeneral without further act or notice.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done by the President, through Newton D. Baker, Secretary of War, in the District of Columbia, this 16th day of November, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hun

dred and eighteen, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and forty-third.

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General Orders relating to suits were issued as follows:

General Order No. 18.

Washington, April 9, 1918. Whereas the Act of Congress approved March 21, 1918, entitled "An Act to provide for the operation of transportation system while under federal control," provides (Section 10) "That carriers while under federal control shall be subject to all laws and liabilities as common carriers, whether arising under state or federal laws or at common law, except in so far as may be inconsistent with the provisions of this Act or with any order of the President. But no process, mesne, or final, shall be levied against any property under such federal control;" and

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Whereas it appears that suits against the carriers for personal injuries, freight and damage claims are being brought in states and jurisdictions far remote from the place where plaintiffs reside or where the cause of action arose, the effect thereof being that men operating the trains engaged in hauling war materials, troops, munitions, or supplies are required to leave their trains and attend court as witnesses, and travel sometimes for hundreds of miles from their work necessitating absence from their trains for days and sometimes for a week or more, which practice is highly prejudicial to the just interests of the Government and seriously interferes with the physical operation of the railroads, and the practice of suing in remote jurisdictions is not necessary for the protection of the rights or the just interests of plaintiffs. It is therefore ordered, That all suits against carriers while under federal control must be brought in the county or dis

trict where the plaintiff resides, or in the county or district where the cause of action arose.

W. G. McADOO,

Director General of Railroads.

General Order No. 18-A.

Washington, April 18, 1918.

General Order No. 18 issued April 9, 1918, is hereby amended to read as follows:

It is therefore ordered that all suits against carriers while under federal control must be brought in the county or district where the plaintiff resided at the time of the accrual of the cause of action or in the county or district where the cause of action arose.

W. G. McADOO,

Director General of Railroads.

General Order No. 26.

Washington, May 23, 1918.

Whereas the Act of Congress approved March 21, 1918, entitled "An Act to provide for the operation of transportation systems while under federal control," provides (Sec. 10) "That carriers while under federal control shall be subject to all laws and liabilities as common carriers, whether arising under state or federal laws or at common law, except in so far as may be inconsistent with the provisions of this Act or with any order of the President. But

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no process, mesne or final, shall be levied against any property under such federal control;" and authorizes the President to exercise any of the powers by said Act or theretofore granted him with relation to federal control through such agencies as he might determine; and

Whereas by a proclamation dated March 29, the President, acting under the federal control Act and all other powers him thereto enabling, authorized the Director-General, either personally or through such divisions, agencies, or persons, or

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