Evening star., 1900-01-03
OyercOats for Conductors.
or of The Evening Star:

10 tHe Eultoi VI Inc .''"i'
Allow me to call attention to the inhuman
regulation now in force on most, If not all,
the street railroads in the city by which the
conductors are forbidden to wear overcoats.
In rigorous weather, such has prevailed
during the last week, they have suffered to
an extent which must be apparent to the
most casual observer. Many are fairly
shivering with the cold; number of them
are afflicted with coughs, and altogether a
feeling of pity for them. mingled with in
dignation at their employers, must come
over every one who sees them few days
ago one was noticed whose face was fairly
livid with the cold; his frame shook with a
hacking cough, while his hands trembled in
the performance of his duty. They are per-
fectly uncomplaining, and do their duty to
the best of their power under the more
than discomforting and even dangerous
conditions under which they are acting.
Some, of whom inquiry has been made.
state that it is even forbidden to wear jer-
sey underneath their coats. While they &C.
casionally evade this last provision, or wear
their summer coats underneath their winte.,
ones, it must be evident that such means
are mere makeshift substitutes for the
comfortable heavy overcoats with which
they have, l think, always heretofore been
allowed to protect themselves.
Few will criticSe them if they sometimes
take little more time inside the warm cars
than appears to be absolutely necessary to
collect their fares, for here. again, another
rule meets them. prohibiting them from
standing within. Thus, by refinement of
cruelty, every avenue of escape from ex-
posure to the severity of the weather is
closed to them. Let us hope that even the
dreaded "spotter' has a softer heart than
the directors (mostly non-residentS, 1 be-
lieve), for whom he is acting, and fails to
turn on the thumbScreW of torture to the
very last wrench.
l trust that if the people who control
dc
public opinion they may change their met n
DDS and give their employees the poor priv
ilege of providing themselves with wrap
pings. They would be sorry to have to go out
without overcoats themselves this weather.
At time like this, when charity is taxed to
its utmost to mitigate the sufferingS of
those who lack the means to provide cloth
ing for themselves. it is outrageous that a
plea should have to be made for the poor
privilege of these men covering themselves
from the cold at their own expense 1t is to
be hoped that among the many men of hu-
name thoughtfulness in both houses of Con-
gress some may be found not SO oppressed
with the weight of matters Of national i'm
portance to prevent them from eXpend-
ing some time and effort in having ii made
a criminal offenSe to deprive human beings
of protection from cold which would not
be denied to a horse or a dog. l see that a
man has just been convicted and fined
through the efforts of the Humane Society
for cruelty to a rat and l am told that
during our mild autumn weather an organ
grinder was arrested for letting his monkey
go barefooted. 1 do not criticise the MEM
bers of that excellent organization for pre-
venting the infiiction Of pain upon useless
or even noxious animals. l only hope they
will now make effort to secure for their
fellow-human beings immunity from tor
ture while engaged in useful and honor
able occupation.
Certainly no time should be lost in what
ever is to be accomplished in this line. for,
while our present cold spell is bad enough
and the holiday season of 1S99-19OO may be
the time from which many of these mems
families will date the downfall of the hus-
bands or fathers health, We know not
what worse weather may be in store for us.
A repetition of the rigors of the middle of
last February, with no change in the ideas
of these railroad people on the etiquette of
costume. might be the occasion of many
fatal cases of pneumonia.
GEORGE A. KING.