Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1904-02-13
BLAMES LABOR UNIONS
HOLDS THEM RESPONSIBLE FoR
HORRIBLE RAILROAD DisAs.
TIERS.

S'ason Thompson omclal ropr,son.
tatvo OF the General Managers asso.
citation of Chicago. has issued a
pamphlet ln which be- makes a severe
attack on railway labor organizations
charging them with responsibility for
lax discipline which he declares ox.
ists and which is responsible TOR dis.
asiors causing thousands OF deaths
and casualties annually
Mr. Thompson also takes severely
to task the alleged efficiency OF tho
block signal system which railway
managers are spending large sums 10
provide with the view of diminishing
casualties and declares it b. 1lsclp.
cIpline which American railways need
most of an
Speaking regrrling railway labor
organizations. no says
"lhey exercise an influence over the
entire noid of railway employment
detrimental 10 discipline Before dis.
cipllning an engineer railway officials
have 10 he prepared with proofs OF
hahItual and dangerous lnsuhordina.
ZION tu face lcmnud Tor his rein.
statement The troubl is that, having
neither authority nor responsibility,
the organization of railway employees
lntorforos with the authority OF rain.
way officials in iunumorablo ways.
They seek to dictate appointments
10 the various branches OF the service
and 20 restrict EN-. loymeBt 20 their
own number. They also act as a check
on the prompt suspension or dismissal
of men for cause covered by the good
of the service. II tho organizations
guaranteed that an their members
were competent Rnd elignble men and
would be- loyai employees. amenablo 10
discipline In Whatever branch OF ser
vice employed, their watchfulness lest
injustice might be zone 20 sucn mem.
bors would be iuHthable but member
ship In railway brotherhood conveys
no such guarantee.
Mr. Thompson lrives home 70 labor
the responsibility for
many wrecks by the statement that
tine lack OF discipline and the pres.
once Of negligence account for nine.
tenths Of the collisions, not only
where the block system is used but
where Il Is not"
Then Mr. Thompson asks what &C.
counts for this laxnoss OF operating OF.
0olals In enforcing regulations. lie Il
not he says, because they are Ia
dilemma between public %.
mands for fast schedules and a divl,
sion " authority over their employees,
from the engineers 30 the swltchmenl
Every act ~ the operating oihcial rs
not only subject 90 appeal 60 his own
superior. but 20 the oflcialB Of the
employees unions or brotherhoods."
IN hr Thompson opinion, the best
physical means 20 prevent collisions
Is double tracking mileage. and 81.
though the adOpticn Of the block syn.
lem may" come next IN Importance.
he declares that the results 10 has at. /
ained DO not warrant the interstate |
'Ommerco. commission in concontrat |
ng popular attention on lts universal /
adoption as the panacea for railway I
rain accidents
Tho block system Is thus dealt .
With: Conditions show that the block .
hgnal system, though II seems 10 be
'orrect In principe has for some rea.
ION failed OF anything like complete
efficiency Why Because q Is not a
Iystem that can work itself ne name
has promised more than ia principe
8 capable of fulfilling Il merely sig.
iuls u does not block anything
Mr thompson also rOundly scores
.ailway arrangements for lack 0l DIS.