The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-04-14
GOOD MEN AS AN ASSET.

The Union Pacific railroad company
has Just completed new club house.
built at cost of $4,000. and turned II
over to its employees at Green River,
Wyo., for their comfort and recreation
1t contains rest rooms, billiard and
pool tables, baths and lockers and
Is in all respects as nice as any club
for business men. The building and
its conyeniences and attractions are
free to all employees and they are en-
couraged 10 make use of them. The
end sought by the company is the bet
ternent of its men. Superintendent
w. l. Park stated the case in a nut
shell in saying in a recent interview
that good men are the best asset a
railroad can have
In the same interview Mr.. Park
emphasized what he had said few
days previously in speech in Chicago
respecting publicity for railroad acct
dents. The Union Pacific believes in
such publicity. The plan of clubs is
not blow at the different organiza-
tons in railroad service, but is in
/ tended TO bring the men to a higher
moral plane and TO bring them to a
realization of their responsibilities
and thus to assist in keeping them out
OF trouble. The management of the
Union Pacific is eager to do ANYTHING
which will lessen the number of avoid.
able accidents. and it holds that the
placing OF the responsibility where ii
belongs in case they do occur is only
Just TO those who suffer thereby. phys
ically, financially or mentally.
Statistics show that while there is
apparently marked diminution in
the casualties, Mr.. Park said that al
railroad men know that it is in pro
portion to the lessened volume q
business, and that accidents increase
in greater ratio than an increase il
business for many reasons. AS tn.
/ operating head of the Union Pacih,
Mr.. Park believes in taking the publi
into its confidence for publicity. plac
ing the same responsibility upon thos
who violate the rules of safety as i
now placed upon those who in othe
ways do a public harm This is e,
pected to bring about yer
different conception OF dut,
That the fault is not er
tirely with the rank and file. in III
opinion of Mr.. Park, is shown by tn
following extract from his Chicag
speech
The responsibility is not. by ar
means. entirely with the rank ar
file. Employees in self-defense ha,
: been forced into cooperation +,
; mutual protection against petty pc
secutions and determinations on ii
> part OF railroad officials. The orga
izations are expensive TO maintain an
at times, exact from the membe
7 sacrifices not in accord with tie spiI
r of independence bequeathed them
if the Declaration OF independence. tt
/ yoke is calling, but must be worn u
! til such time as officials are so 81
rounded with established methods
!. discipline as will do away with t
injustice and yindictiveness in fixil
? penalties. Our present system
primitive and barbarous; it insults t
llNSIllSSDSt Vi anu IOEC
h them into alliances for self-protectic
10 Once having the power, they natural
N exercise It in directions not original
! Intended.
While / may be telling a FAM
- secret. it is fact that not few "a
IN road accidents are whitewashed
the investigation to the extent tn
the officials even deceive themselv,
ne The evidence is often made 10 ST
n. stantiate a preconceiyed conclusion
+, to how the incident occurred. T
dominant influence of one in authori
le frequently asserts itself 10 the exte
n that the interrogating or giving of |.
be timony is shaped to meet the we
n known views of superior. This
he fuence may be unconsciously exert
in or absorbed.
There never was truer saving
greater reflection on railroad men tn
that the science of railroading is I
art of shifting responsibility Fro
to track To the tender, from the engi
rs TO the coal. from the dispatcher TO I
a. conductor. from the trainmaster 10 I
T. call boy. from one department 70 :
other and so on ad indnitun.
AS the cure OF ul9saSe - usPsuus
OF upon an intelligent diagnosis of I
% trouble, so Nh PARK holds the preve
~ ton of accidents lies in z thoroug
. intelligent and unbiased Investigate
az as to the cause. As to THIS he said
= eTo get to the true cause Of the {
ue hciences OF which The pubic accu
III railroad men and apply the rene
y must be the first step in obtaining
cessation OF the meddlesome public
reference IN operating affairs vi
Us which We are now Threatened
% While We have spread on our s.
- ute books laws Furnishing t1oss z
I'd are criminally careless, their app.
"a ton o railroad men is alnost MI.
the reason that the public apprecss
that railroad men should n, AM
= (as their organization IS geculisl
M gifted III unrayeling the tntricaciss
at the written and unvritten Law Cove
Is ing the management OF rallroai
&c This confidence in our integrity
Biz WORTH OF a higher conception OF du
or Unless railroad managers merit SD
- confidence by an impartial and Ii
ough investigation OF such accideI
H.