The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-01
RAILROAD NEWS
Famous Lackawanna Anti
Booze Order Received Here.
All Classes of Employees At
fected by New Rule.
OLD TIME "RULE 9" AMENDED
Other Designations Must Be
Abandoned by RailrOaders.
Other Items of Interest in the
Traffic World.
OLD TIME "RULE 9" AMENDED

Railroad men in Topeka have receiV-
! ed copies of the recently enacted or
der on the Lackawanna forbldulng Ihe
use of intoxicants. The order is on
of the most complete in the country
and reads:
Effective this date, Rule G, of the
! transportation department, is amenoeu
/ to read as follows:
/ "CG.) In furtherance of the obJects OF
4 the several federal and state hours OF
service laws, employees in the engine
train, yard, and station service are
prohibited from using their time whlIe
off duty in a manner that may uhHt
them for the safe, prompt, ana eIncleht
performance of their respective oullSs
| for the company. They are strictly
enioined and required to use their time
while off duty primarily for obtaining
ample rest.
"(G1 Cb) The use of intoxicants
while on or off duty or the visiting OF
saloons or places where liquor Is SUI
incapa citates men for railroad service
and is absolutely prohibited. ANY Vlo-
/ lations of this rule by employees IN
the engine, train, yard, or station ser
vice will be sufficient cause for dlsrnls-
sal.''
George A. Cullen, passenger tratnc
manager of the Lackawanna: IN speak
ing about the new order, said:
'sRule G. which is one of the general
rules of the standard code of the
American Railway association, redoS as
follows: The use of intoXlcants by
employees while on duty is prohibited
Their habitual use or the frequentlns
of places where they are SOLD, Is SUN
Gent cause for dismissal.
This rule is in effect generally on the
railroads of this country. The new RUE
of the Lackawanna railroad, altogether
probibits all classes of employees direct
~ connected with the movement OF
trains from using Intoxicating liquors
at all times.
cit has been thought heretofore, and
is still a general practice on American
railroads. that so long as men avolo
the habitual use of liquors when or
duty they are reasonably safe; but re-
cent experience has shown that there
is only one absolutely safe course 10
be followed by these classes or men
and that is to abstain altogether 1roH'
the use of liquor, and that will be the
rule on the LackaWannd dliIOdo i0A0
after.
1.-The company realizes that in this
departure it may be criticized for pur-
suing an extreme course, but IL reSls
assured that public sentiment Will sup
mort its position in view of the great
risks involved.
"Ouite as important as the second
part of the new rule is the first, al
though it may possibly not attract as
much public attention. 1t is wsti
known fact that there are many otneI
forms of dissipation besides drinking
that tend to unfit men for duty; and
where safety requires men to be alert
and keen while on duty, it is abso-
lutely essential that they should come
to their work refreshed by abundant
sleep and in full possession OF their
physical and mental faculties"
1t was further said by Mr.. Cullen
that while the railroads were forced by
law to give their train service en-
ployees ample time for resting purposes
between runs, the men could use their
time in any way. Spending time play
ing poker, Mr.. Cullen asserted, was
Just about as bad as dissipation by
drink, for loss of sleep surely tended
to make men stupid while at work.