The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-28
THE PUBLIC BLAMED
JULIUS KRUTTsCHNITT SAYS AT- TACkS ON RAILROADS HAVE
 DESTROYED DISCIPLINE.
Impossible to Enforce Rules-Support of Public Opinion Needed to Lower Death Rate--Majority of Per-
 sons Killed by Trains Are


 Death Rate--MaJority of Per-
 sons Killed by Trains Are
 Trespassera.
 New York. June 27--"Although the total number of persons killed and in- jured on American railroads foots up an appalling figure. the latest report of the Interstate Commerce Commits sion showing 10,61s killed and s7,706 injured during the year, it Is not true as generally supposed that conditions are growing worse instead of better" says Mir. Julius Kruttschnitt who is Harriman's right-hand man in his man. agement of the Union Pacific and Southern, Pacific roads and is recog- nized as one of the ablest operating men in America.
 "On the railroad with which I am most familiar" says Mir. Kruttschnitt, the Union Pacific, not only the per- centage of accidents but also the actual number, has been reduced. In 1906 the number killed of all classes are 114; in 1907 1t was 105. The number injured was reduced from 1,9S3 in 1908 to 1,104 in 1907. At the same time the number of passengers carried increased by nearly thirteen percent. That is to say this reduction in accidents occur red in the face of an increase in -traf- fic equal to 132,523,036 passengers car- ried one mile. The betterment was due as much to the higher efficiency of the men as to the greater use of safety ap- pliances, although on these devices the company has expended in the past two years $3.042,3O9."
 That the public is responsible for more accidents than the railway com panies is the statement made by MT. Kruttschnitt and backed up by statis- tics which he produces in an article on this subject appearing in the July number of Appleton's Magazine. Tak- ing the figures of fatal accidents as reported by the Interstate Commerce Commission he finds that only PIP of those killed by the railroads of the country were passengers on trains while 5.3s1, or considerably more than half the total, were trespassers-per- sons walking on the tracks, hoboes beating their way and others jumping on or off trains in stealing rides. This is 8 condition which MT. Krutts- chnitt believes calls for action in the more vigorous enforcement of rules and laws against trespassing on railway and perhaps for the strength ening of these laws. He quotes the Railroad Commissioned Indiana as an its purpose to make recom- mendations for decreasing the number OL dCCAUtnbS tIOIu ItliS cause DerndDS by the enactment of laws controlling on English railways, which require signs at crossings. warning travellers to turn either to the right or left on the railways and bulletins in the pas- senger depots, naming offenders and the fines and punishments imposed for trespassing on the tracks"
 Turning from accidents due to care lessness or violations of law on the part of members of the general public to those involving trains. the Appleton article shows on the authority of the Interstate Commerce Commission that are due to disobedience Of rules and on the part of employees For this too, Mir. Kruttschnitt holds the public to some extent responsible. The continued abuse and repeated legisla- tive attacks on railroads in his opinion have operated to relax the discipline that should prevail among employees and he quotes railway worker as say ing. Tn some way we have got 1t into our heads that the rules are permissive not positive As a matter of fact we, the employees. are bigger than the rules"
 Discipline and consequent efficiency in our army and navy would be ab- solutely destroyed if all officers from the commander-In-ch down were in- condemned and held up to public excerationt MT. Kruttschnitt declares. Under such conditions. 1t would not be long before the petty of- ficers. privates, and sailors would look on their officers as their worst enemies; they would become disloyal. faithless in the discharge of duty, and inefficient in guarding the interests in- trusted to them.
 ''The army of railroad employees is in a demoralized condition. and. as results show, Is inefficient in safeguarding the life and property entrusted to 1t What is the remedy? Simply that if our employees once realize that the re- sponsibility for the discredit now rest ing on the operation of American rail- roads is not one which can be placed entirely on their officers, but that they themselves must assume a large share of 1t, joint effort and cordial co-opera- ton to remove the load of joint dis credit must necessarily follow.
 ''The fact cannot be denied that the efficiency of railroad employees has de- teriorated in the past few years. And this deterioration cannot be compen- sated. A railroad Is much more depen- dent upon its human than upon its material equipment for safe and ef- ficient operation. No matter how generously every material equipment is provided, how lavishiy capital is ex- pended for improvement of roadbed. ad ditional side tracks. terminals, safety devices, and the like, the outlay is use less unless the road is efficiently man. ned. It is therefore altogether regret table that the attitude of our employees has been changed. That 1t has been changed from loyalty and consideration to indifference If not to disloyalty, nc observer will deny. And the influence which has brought about this change is unquestionably the present state oi public opinion which condemns all cor porations indiscriminateIy."