The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-10-05
BLAME THE unions
RAILROADS EXCUSE FOR FIRE.
QUENCY OF TRAIN WRECKS.
Committee Will Endeavor to
Show that Safety Appliances
in this Country are Ahead of
the rehabilitation and Lack
of Loyalty Cause of Accidents.

new York, Sept. 3O.--The manage
ments Of American railroads have be-
gun energetically to prepare their de-
Tense against the charge that present
operating methods lead to needless
losses Of human life, and that there is
not the fullest use of safety appliances,
owing to a niggardly policy generally
pursued. The defense will be made
before the commission Of experts that
the Interstate commerce commission
appointed thoroughly to investigate
the operation of the systems and the
use of safety appliances, including
block signal systems. The operating
officials realize that the trial through
which they are to pass undoubtedly is
the most important in the history of
railroads, and accordingly there will
be no sparing of time or of expense to
place the truth before the American
public regarding the operation of
American lines.
Amend Rules Of Operation
The first of long series of confer
ences between the committees of the
American Railway Association in
charge of train rules and safety appli-
ances has just closed here. These
committees are to work together for
the next few months in preparing
amended rules of operation and an
amended code of signals for the opera
ton of block signals for the inspection
~ tho into tot
sion's experts. Through these the rail-
road men believe they will be able to
convince che experts that the science
of operation of the systems has devel-
oped in the United States as it has in
no other country, and more rapidly
than any other science that may be
mentioned.
Attribute Wrecks to Unions
What is the cause of the fearful sac
rifice of human lives on the railroads
of the United States? The answer to
this question, if ultimately given by
the committee of experts, may stratle
the entire world and possibly may in
volve labor and capital and the gov
eminent in long and bitter struggle.
The railroad men will endeavor to
show the committee that the rules and
methods of operation in this country
have kept pace with the demands of
traffic. The sole and logical conclu-
sion, this premise being proved correct,
is that it is not LACK of method or of
rules from which the travelling public
is suffering. but rather non-observance
of rules. This will bring to the front
the questions whether or not the al
legged lack of discipline of American
railroads Is due to the dictation of Ia
Dor unions and, if so, what is the
cure.
Employees Deprived of Excuse
The need of more stringent laws and
a more rigid enforcement of laws passed
to punish those who cause death and
disaster by disobedience of rules will
be urged by railroad officials. To try
to accomplish this again will lead the
committee into the realm of labor.
Operating men insist that in former
times, when they compl aimed of lack
of loyalty in observance of rules and
regulations, the men replied that their
hours of labor were so long and their
work so severe That failure was at a
premium. Times have changed great
~ with regard to working hours and
operating men will, according to the
railroad men, say that there should be
decreasing percentage Of failure to
obey rules, whereas the contrary seems
to be the case.