Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-12
GOOD MEN GREATEST ASSET
Faithful Employees Boon of Railroad,
Says W. L. Park.
UNION PACIFIC TAKES THAT VIEW
General superintendent Explain,
Chicago speech and Talks of
CIubs and Publicity of
Accidents.

Good men are the best asset a railroad
can have" said w. l.. Park, superintend-
emit Of the Union Pacific. in speaking OF
the new club house the company IL build
ing for its men at Green River, Wyo. We
have just completed a club house costing
$4,000 to be turned over to the men for
their comfort and recreation. 1t will con-
tain rest rooms, billiard and pool tables,
baths, lockers and will be just as nice as
any club for business men.
IT am afraid my speech at Chicago was
misunderstood by many because 1t was not
reported more fully. The Union Pacific
believes in publicity for railroad accidents.
The plan OF clubs lie not. a blow at the
different organizations of our service, but
to bring the men to a higher moral plane
and to bring them to a realization Of their
responsibilities and thus to assist In keep
Ing them out of trouble.
Amy practice which will reduce the num-
Der OF avoidable accidents Is eagerly sought
and the placing of the responsibility where
it belongs in case they do occur is only
Just to those who suffer thereby, physically,
financially or mentally.
statistics show that while there is APP
psrently a marked dimlnution in the cas-
%ualties, we, as railroad men, know that it
is in proportion to the lessened volume of
business, and that accidents increase in
greater ratio than an increase in business
for many reasons. We believe that the So
luton lies in taking the public into our con-
fidence for publicity, placing the same re-
sponsibillty upon those who violate the
rules of safety as is now placed upon those
who in other ways do a public harm. This
will certainly bring about a very different
conception of duty"
Some of Tha speech.
That the fault is not entirely with the
rank and file. in the opinion of Mr.. Park,
is shown in the following extract from
his speech, which caused comment all
over the country:
The responsibility is not, by any means.
entirely with the rank and file. En-
into cooperation for mutual protection
against petty prosecutions and discrtm-
nations on the part of railroad officials.
The organizations are expensive to main
tain and, at times, exact from the MEM
bers sacrifices not in accord with the
spirit of independence bequeathed them
in the Declaration of Independence. The
yoke is Calling, but must be worn until
such time as officials are so surrounded
with established methods of discipline as
Will do away with the injustice and vim
dictiveness in fixing penalties. Our pres
ent system Is primitive and barbarous; It
forces them into alliances for self-pro-
lection. Once having the power, they
naturally exercise it in directions not
While / may be telling a family secret,
1t is a fact that not a few railroad &C
ton to the extent that the officials even
deceive themselves. The evidence is often
MADE n1Sd;oI to sub s hnd a preGonfeiyed con
The dominant influence of one in au-
thority frequently asserts itself to- the
extent that the i~nterrogating or giving
of testimony is shaped to meet the we'll
known views of a superior. This influ-
ence may be unconsciously exerted or sb-
sorbed.
There never was a truer saying or
greater reflection on railroad men than
art of shifting responsibiiity.' From
track to the tender, from the engine to
the coal, from the dispatcher to the con-
ductor, from the trainmaster to the call
boy, from one departement to another,
and so on ad infinitum.
The cure of disease is dependent upon
an intelligent diagnosis of the trouble.
So the prevention of accidents lies in a
thorough Intelligent and unbiased in
remedy is not so difficult.
TO get to the true cause, of the de-
flciencies of which the public accuse the
railroad men and apply the remedy must
be the first step in obtaining a cessation
of the meddlesome public interference
in operating affairs with which we are
While we have spread on our statute
books laws furnishing those who are
railroad men is almost nil, for the reason
that the public appreciate that railroad
men should be. and are Gas heir organiza-
ton Isl peculiarly gifted in %unraveling
the intricacies of the written and unwrit-
ten law governing the management of
railroads. This confidence in our integ-
rity is worthy of a higher conception of
duty. Unless railroad managers merit
such confidence by an impartial and
thorough investigation of such accidents
to disturb the public welfare, such power
will be taken from them. The general
public is satisfied with justness-a fair
and impartial official can retain the re-
spect and confidence of the public and
his employees even II severe; one who
discriminates cannot, although seemingly