The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-25
BR ANDEIS MAY
NAME HIS SALARY
Railroads Ask Only That He
Save Them as Much
More.
PRESIDENTS IN CONFERENCE
Western Officials skeptical as
to Attorneys Ability to
Trim Expenses.

Chicago, November 24.-The state
ment recently made at the railway rate
hearing in Washington by Louis u.
Brandeis. as attorney for the East
ern shippers, that the railroads of the
country through inefficient manage
ment waste million dollars a day
has been answered by Western rail-
road presidents with a telegram offer
ing Mr., Braudeis a position at his own
salary IL he could point out the alleged
Acknowledgement
"A salary of quarter of million
year would not be excessive If he
could save twice that much all told,
10 u.s." said the representative of the
presidents
Conference of Presidents.
The telegram followed conference
of Western railroad presidents, in.
which Darius Miller. b. l.. Winchel n.
L. Nudge. and + A Delano partici-
pated Ii was signed by o. l.. Dicke-
son, who was authorized to speak for
the Western railroad presidents inter
ested in the cases before the Inter-
state Commerce Commission, and read.
Louis d. Brandeis: IT is reported
you have stated before the Interstate
Commerce Commission that American
railways are wasting 100000 daily.
If you can point out a practical
way by which substantial portion of
this amount may be saved several
Western railways would be pleased to
tender YOU employment allowing you
to name your own salary.
This proposition is made to YOU in
the same spirit of sincerity in which
you rendered your statement to the
commission
His Comparisons "Faulty..
Commenting on the statement made
by Mr.. Brandeis, F. d. Underwood,
president of the Erie, says
Mr.. Brandeiss comparisons are
faulty; they give as a guide for the
railways the costs in other branches
OF business, carried on in well defined
premises. under constant supervision
doing one thing.
Conducting railway and repair
ing its equipment involve constant re-
newals and repairs, both to new and
old material, widely varying, and so
far no one has been able TO make a
cost sheet, so called, as the manu-
facturer of one or more articles does
with good effect"
L. f. Loree, president of the Della
ware and Hudson. say:
do not believe the suggestions
put forward by Mr. Brandeis are like
ly TO be of value.
The railroad officers have made and
are making untiring efforts in evolv-
ing and applying unit tests of eff
cheney. The resuits-and they will
compare favorably with those in other
lines OF business activity-are that the
capital investment involved in the
movement of unit OF traffic has
Ia NO r,-t1 -t,,.
charge 10 the public has been reduced
from 1 l2 cents TO a shade less than
cent
Il see no reason why the tendency
though perhaps not the rate of pro-
Sress, should not be continued. but so
far as II is the result of intelligent
effort and capital investment 1t would
seem that the results should primarily
belong 10 the shareholder rather than
TO the iobber
Emerson His Inspiration.
l. P Shonts. president OF the Chi
caso and Atom says:
Mr. Brandeis's deductions coincide
SO closely with those expressed by
Harrington Emerson in his book on
Efficiency as to lead one to believe
Mr.. Brandeiss remarks are in great
measure, If not entirely, promised on
that work
That there is waste to-day in every
human elterpriise is universally ac-
cepted By, students of economies.
Therefore to measure the work of man
on basis of 100 per centum efficiency
is fallacy 1t is a Utopian condition
which cannot he reached in practice,
either in agriculture, mining, indus
trial or transportation pursuits, and
more especially by the latter, since
the demands of the shipping public
backed up by orders of various COM
missions, actually prohibit 1t.
IF the gentlemen now discoursing
50 learnedly on the problem of rail-
road waste We're in a position 10 guar
antee results they would be in greater
demand than any other set of men in
the world, because railroads to-day
are looking for men who can accom-
plish these things"
Daniel Willard, president of the Bal
timore and Ohio. says
There are practically only TWO WAYS
in which railroads can reduce operat-
ing eNpenses-one by the purchase and
use of less material and the other by
the employment of less labor"
Government Restrictions.
Darius Miller, president of the Bur
lington, says:
THE ability Of the railroads TO econ
onize is restricted on the one hand BY
certain government regulations and OF
the other by the demands of the pub.
lie for good service. If 1t were pos
sible TO put Mr.. Brandeis's theorie
into practice, the interests of railroad
would cause them to adopt methods
of saving Independent of any sugges
ton
H. U. Nudge, president of the Rocl
Island, says;
If Mr., Brandeis would look into gu
accounts he would see that we are al
ready doing some OF the things he ad
vocates. l know the Rock islam
would like all the assistance it ca
get in saving its share of that $9Oo
900, 000"