The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-08-27
Genuine System
Versus Red Tape.
From the Syracuse Pest.

From the Syracuse Pest.
0F THE war department in its various
branches had been organized with the
same system that prevails in the
Ii management of a great railroad cor
poration, for instance, there would
have been much less complaint and criti-
cism. A good example of the difference
between the war department methods
and railroad methods has been furnished
at Montauk Point. Holland, the New
York correspondent of the Philadelphia
Press. gives some interesting facts about
preparations that were made for Camp
Wikoff.
A few weeks ago competent army OFF,
GERS selected Montauk Point for a camp
In which troops from the south could
rest and recuperate. The site OF the
camp was leased from the Long Island
Railroad company, and the government
expected to rely upon this railroad for the
transportation of most of its supplies
and a good part of the troops. President
Baldwin, of the railroad company, had
given assurance that, as soon as he was
notified that the camp site had been Sc
lected, he would be prepared to furnish
transportation as fast as needed. The
first indication he received in regard to
the matter was the announcement one
udS tlldI E,VDc troops anu ii ldlSe
Der of mules were on the way to the
| camp. Through the failure of some sub
ordinate, perhaps or because the mos
sage passed through too many hands,
President Baldwin had not been advised
of the acceptance of the site. But, like
practical railroad man, he set to work
to make up for lost time.
In three days he had roads made
everything in readiness for handling an
immense volume of business. During
three night it is said that he did not leave
the field, sleeping less than five hours out
of the seventy-two. But with the fine
system of a well manged railroad organi-
zation behind him he had his prepara-
| tions all made so that there was not a
delay of an hour in the shipment OF sup
plies or an accident of any kind TO the
great number of trains sent over the
| read The incident mentioned by "Ilol-
| land shows the difference between praC-
tical business methods and red tape meth
| DDS. He says that there were some forty
| mule wagons near the station. Lumber
| was there, and also great quantity of
| supplies. The supplies, of course, were
greatly needed by the soldiers in camp
even more than the lumber. But the
| teamsters were hauling lumber only.
| President Baldwin asked why they did
| not divide the work and use part of the
| wagons to haul supplies into camp where
the soldiers were waiting for them. The
reply was: "Oh, the supplies belong 20
| another department. We have no orders
to take them" Take them without or
| ders then. Some of these soldiers are
| almost dead for the supplies" was Mr..
| Baldwin's reply. But the supplies were
| not moved, for they were tied up by a
lot of red tape and nobody at the camp
| had authority to cut it and release them
Another time a complaint was made &c
| President Baldwin that the soldiers
| needed fresh meat. The railroad com
| pany was blamed for not bringing it, MIR
| Baldwin Investigated ana found two re.
| frigerator cars full of fresh meat that
| had been waiting for two days to be un'
| loaded. He had hurried through that
meat 100 miles in three hours, ana tner
| after it reached its destir aton it was ictI
| untouched for two days, and soldiers
were going hungry all because some army
officer failed to do his duty. Another
! time the carpenters who were putting ur
| barracks ard hospital buildings wanteC
nails. They complained to the officers ui
| ore department ana were in turn referred
| to the officers of another department
| and they in turn referred them to tht
| officers of the railroad company, ant
|
there was carload of nails upon The
| siding which had been waiting there tw.
or three days, and in addition there was
score of kegs Of nails in the camp whicl
had been overlooked entirely.
| These illustrations show the difference
between business thoroughly ORGANIZED
and a business run by red tape regula
tions. 1t is very evident that the wa
| department has suffered for the lack of ;
| comprehensive preliminary organization
Had each staff department been thor
oughly organized on business lines, tn,
| increased demands of the war would hGv,
simply increased the size of the order
for transportation supplies and other nee
cessities. They would not have brough
confusion and disastrous delays. We hea
a great deal about army discipline, bu
army discipline that is so tied up by rec
tape that business cannot be TRANSACTED
in common sense way is all wrong