Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-25
The New Haven Wreck Report.

The interstate commerce commission
report on the New Haven wreck scath-
ingly denounces the failure of both the
operatives of the road to observe the
| rules and the officials of the corporation
to insure their enforcement and to adopt
sufficiently protective measures. VIII
this report bring results? The commits
sion in it's conclusions on this wreck calls
attention to the fact that it has hereto
fore found derelictions in railroad man
agement in matters affecting the public
safety, but that it has no power to en-
force the regulations which it has made
and which it would wish to see applied TO
the interstate traffic to the end of estab-
fishing higher standard of security, Con-
gress having failed to legislate adequate
ly upon this subject. Specific propositions
bearing on the matter of railroad safety
are promised in the forthcoming annual
report of the commission. which Con-
gress will have before 1t next winter.
Meanwhile numerous bills have been
introduced in both houses Of Congress on
the subject of railroad safety, some OF
them referring to the use of steel cars,
others relating to the hours of employees.
still others to signals and automatic
merit in them. Taken together they
probably cover the entire field thoroughly,
and while some of the suggested meas
ures are possibly impracticable. they af-
ford material for a comprehensive enact
ment giving the public the utmost degree
Of security in travel. 1t is obviously to
be the task of the House and Senate
next winter to collate these various meas
ures, in the light of the careful recon-
mendations of the commission, to evolve
the most reasonable and workable plan
of security insurance.
The responsibility of directors of the
railroad corporations for the proper OPP
Grafton of the lines forms q considerable
part of the commissions present report
That having formally ordered the execu-
tive of the road to do certain things, not
specified but generally directed toward
the safeguarding of the public, they
ceased all activity ana virtually aban-
doned authority, is distinctly charged
against the New Haven directors in this
particular instance by the commission
placing upon the individuals who COM
prise the board heavy charge of ac-
countability for the disaster in imme-
date review. 1t is impossible to avoid
the conclusion, in effect says the COM
mission. that these men are today re-
sponsible morally for the death of a
score of persons. The formal passing of
a motion and the REIMBURSEMENT thence
forth of all responsibility to the executive
head Of the railroad did not sufficiently
meet the requirements of their position.
Having been aware that the railroad was
suffering from repeated so-called acct
dents, through man failure and system
failure. and having formally directed the
president of the road to install all pos
sible safety devices and to adopt and en-
force all possible precautionary rules, to
prevent recurrent catastrophes, II rest
ed with the directors to see that these
measures of reform were actually adopt
ed. Their trust in the roads executive
and his assistants was not enough to
relieve them of the responsibility which
morally, If not legally, rests today upon
them for the sacrifice of life at New
Haven the other day. Nothing can well
be done about 1t, short Of direct court
procedure against the individual directors,
which will probably not bc attempted.
| Far better will be some form of legisla-
| ton enabling the interstate commerce
commission to make rules and to enforce
them.