The Washington times., 1912-12-16
SPEED is BL AIMED
FOR DEATH" TOLL
Interstate Commerce Commi sson Reports on Findings in
Safety Investigations, Declaring That Poor Conditions
Of Roadbeds Make Danger of Accidents Imminent

with the track and roadway condi-
tions existing upon many railroads II,
this country the danger OF serious de-
rai,ments is ever present.
1.-The most disQuieting and perpiexins
feature in the problem of accident pre-
vention is the large proportion OF train
accidents caused by dereliction Of duty
by the employees involved.
'"ro prevent railroad collisions ade-
quatc measures must be taken, first, to
reduce the chances or human error to
a minimum, and. second, to neutralize
the effects Of such error when II oc-
curs.
Excessive speed necessary to maintain
the schedules OF fast trains has been
an Important factor In many train acct
dents. The conditions OF safe opera.
tion are often ignored IN the effort to
bring. these fast trains In on time. 4
premium is placed on speed"
These are the findings Of the Inter-
state Commerce Comm ission on the fac
tors OF safety. or, perhaps. non safety.
In railroad traffic In the United States.
Complete Review. ..
In its annual report to Congress the
Commission reviews travel, safely at
great length and gives II resume Of
accident causes. In defense of tn.
men. who usually have to shoulder the
blame the Commission says:
Errors are bound to occur with more
or less frequency. and cannot fail to
result In accidents whenever reliance
for the safe movement OF trains Is
placed upon human beings, and en-
p.oyees are depended upon to do cX-
actlJ the right things at all times and
under all circumstances.
There Is q dispotion In some quarters
to charge these lamentable errors to
failure of discipline and to hold en-
ploycs wholly responsible for such fail
uro. This IL a superficial view which
contains no promise OF effective REM
cry. 1t can not he assumed that en,-
ployes deliberately ignore disciplinary
perience are necessary for their own
safety as well as for the safety of
many others who for the time being
are placed In their charge; nor IL II
conceivable that rules which have been
enacted to secure safety In the move
ment of trains are disregarded by en-
ployes, knowing that the result may
mean their own death. except under
pressure of some compelling motiv.
that for the moment overcomes the
force Of the regulations.
Atmosphere of Caution.
"He lives constantly in an atmosphere
Of caution. OF admonition. The necessi-
ties OF his vosation, the responsibilities
connected with it. become a part of his
life. This training cannot fail to de-
velop men of keen and retcntive men,
ory; men who have minute regard for
detail. and who are likely to pay strict
attention to orders and signals.
"A remarkable increase In the speed
and weight of trains within recent
years. and the crowding of tracks and
terminals caused by the movement OF
an enormously enlarged volume of traf-
fic. have greatly increased the duties
and responsibilities of train-service en,-
ployes and. multiplied the. chances OF
error on their part. Notwiths: anding
these added duties and responsibilities
which the conditions Of modern rail-
roading have imposed. the methods of
discipline and regulations calculated to
insure safety in train operation have re-
mained practically unchanged"
On the ground that 1t Is playing an
excessive rental in Its present quarters.