The oasis., 1908-08-15

plOyeeS. III WOulu seem lnhL Wnlle lney nave
improved certain conditions, shortened work
ing hours, and raised wages, they have over
looked their opportunities TO improve the
morale and the efficiency of their members
and make them more faithful servants of the
corporations and OF the public.
1t is along this line that believe the great.
est progress is to be made, even more than by
advance in mechanical appliances. Advance
there must be, Tor we must admit that the cost
OF life in the operation of our railroads is re.
proach to us all, operators and users alike.
have striyen to show that the managements of
railroads are neither blind to the condition
nor negligent of II, but are bending every effort
to improve IT, What further can be done4
repeat thai Mr.. Pagan put his finger OH the
place in saying, 1--WE railroad men are to
blame for preventable accidents by
downright neglect to do as we are told" The
explanation may be continued in his words:
In some way we have got it into our heads
that the rules are permissive, not positive.
AS matter of fact, We the employees, are big
ger than the rules"
Let the public add to the rules the weight of
its opinion, and the scale will turn. No one
man. and no body of men in this country Is
bigger than public opinion. II rules are dis
regarded, If discipline is lax, and lives are lost
thereby, the remedy is in an educated and
aroused public opinion. At present railroads
cannot enforce thoroughgoing discipline. l
have pointed out cases of discipline in record
ing accidents and tests, but | am aware, as
every railroad official is, that many minor
cases are passed over Employees and petty
officers, vice principals representing the com
pany, whose duty requires them to report these
breaches, fear to do so. As a leading technical
journal very aptly said not long ago:
The condition which must be remedied is
that railroad arrangements out of Difference TO
public sentiment do not try to exercise that
rig0r in discipining railway employees which
safety OF the public demands. II is an anomal-
GUS but ineontestable fact that the public
would cruelty the management that inficts
proper discipline"
The army OF railroad employees is in de.
moralized condition, and, as results show, is
inefficient in safeguarding life and property
intrusted TO il. What is the remedy? Simply
that II our employees once realize that the
responsibility for the discredit now resting on
the operation Of American railroads is not one
which can be placed entirely on their officers,
but that they themselves must assume a large
share OF il, joint effort and cordial cooperation
to remove the load OF joint discredit must
necessarily follow.
And how is this realization of responsibility
to be brought home to the employees? BY the
help OF the public; by the force OF their opin-
ion. IL must discriminate between the bad and
the good in passing judgment on corporations
and their officers. Wholesale approval breeds
wholesale disloyalty in the industrial army
serving them. The unnatural and hostile con
ditions that have resulted from the attitude OF
the pIees and the public toward corporations
must be replaced by peace end cooperation
hliu nOt hDdNlHk IT'S CONCENTRATION Ol
abuses or relaxing its determination to correct
them, II must in the exercise OF its determine
alton give the support OF its all-powerful opin
ion To the earnest efforts of roalroads to i'm
prove discipline, increase safety, and generally
raise the standard OF service.
Conceding one point with the conclu
sions of Mr.. Kruttschnitt, so far as they
go, no fault can be found. II, as he SAYS
the army of railway employees be demon
allied and their efficiency impaired
those alarming consequences are due
without doubt to the condition OF public
sentiment against the railways. But
nevertheless the attitude of the railwa,
army toward its employers is no NOR,
than the common d sposition that ha,
grown among men in the world OF bust
ness as well as in the labor world anC
that is to give just as little as one car
give possibly for the money he gets, anC
to give as little money as he can pos
sibly for the service he requires. 1t il
the disposition manifested by the pain
ter when he mixes his paints with gaso
line instead of oil, because the gasolinei i,
cheaper, yet at the same time exactin.
from the patron the price OF oil. 1t il
the disposition that actuates the "hones
farmer" when he packs cornstalks anC
dried weeds in the interior of his bale,
of hay, and then vets the bales to max,
them weigh heavier, selling water fo
hay. 1t is the disposition among manu-
facturers which compelled Congress tt
enact the pure food law. 1t is the dis
position manifested by all the railways
in the country to twist freight rates al
high as possible, reduce wages as low a.
possible, and evade taxation as much a,
possible.
And the latter assertion suggests t.
the mind OF the writer that perhaps il