The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-11
RAILROADS
ARE FLAYED
BY BRANDEIS
Charges Their Alliance,
Through Directors, With
Steel Trust and Coal
BarOnS
Present Exorbitant Rates
Due to Unwillingness to
Adopt Modern Methods
Especial from United Press.)

(SpeClal from united 3TeSS)
Washington, Jan. 11.-Railroads
were flayed mercilessly with a verbal
whiplash welded by Louis B. Bran
deis, before the Interstate Commerce
Commission, today Ignorance and
greed were declared solely RESPONSE
BILE for the proposed sweeping freight
rate increases which are the cause
of one of the greatest legal battles
ever fought before the commission.
Brandeis charged that the rail-
roads were allied, through their d.
rectors, with the steel trust and coal
barons. The interests of the roads
and Of those other corporations have
been conserved, he declared, by de-
hatchery of the privileges of the
public. The management of the rail-
roads, which yesterday were descrfb-
ed to the commission by the railroad
attorneys as having reached the
highest possible point of efficiency"
He called them both unreasonably ex-
pensive and antiquated. The present
exorbitant rates were declared to be
due chiefly to the stubborn unwill-
ingness of the railroads to adopt
modern methods which he said would
81, 100000 daily. After declaring
that scientific management would
meet with the approval of labor un-
ions. in that it meant still higher
wages in return for greater effici-
ency, Brandeis described his plan for
saving million dollars a day as COM
prising in a general way, the follow
ing seven principles: ~
r. 1.-THE separation of planning from
performing, for huge. development Of
Putting the burden of accomplish
ing results upon the men who are
responsible instead of the men whose
main duty consists of obeying orders.
Universal preparedness, or the
planning of everything in advance, SO
that any emergency can be met in
stantly.
1.-The making. of analytical studies
Of each operation to determine how
it can be done with the least ex-
penditure Of time and material.
1.-The standardization of methods,
material and equipment.
'"The keeping Of records Of indus
trial performance, that it may be
known what each man does and how
long it takes him to do it.
1.-THE paying of adequate reward
for iHeividual accomplishment"
Application of these principles,
Brandeis declared, would not only
make higher rates unnecessary but
would enable roads to cut rates under
the lowest previous schedules.
neys that high rates had been neces-
STATED by increased wages and the
increased cost of steel rails and fuel,
were declared humorous in their
groundlessness. The high cost Of
steel rails and of fuel, he declared to
exist with the contention of railroads,
who could bring about reduction in
prices whenever they desired.
1.-The complaint made as to the in
creased cost of fuel is most laugh
able" he said. 1.-The most casual in
vestigator finds that a large percent
age Of the coal mines In the country
are owned either entirely or In large
part by the same railroads who are
complaining"
A partial trial of scientific man
agement by the Santa Fe Railroad,
he declared, had resulted in reduc-
ton Of operating expenses in the
machine shops by more than fifty per
cent. annually. A three per cent. re-
duction on all the roads in classified
territory would mean a saving of
S27, 100000 yearly, Brandeis said, and
this would make rate increases UNI
necessary, according to the railroad
contentious.