The Cape weekly tribune. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1914, 1914-10-16
RAILROAD MENTOR
FULL CREW Law
Continued from Page Ore).

every year in the United States.
Wouldn't you get excited if you
read of a battle or an accident in
which $4,000 men were killed or
wounded at one time and place?
You certainly would. Don't you be-
lieve that these $4,000 railroad men
are entitled to as much sympathy and
help as if they were all killed in one
day instead of strung out over years
time?
He must take his life in his hands
constantly, and he is paid about half
as much as a bod carrier, and much
less than a carpenter or bricklayer; in
fact, for an hours work he gets about
as much as a street cleaners pay.
1t is not an uncommon thing for a
railroad employee who has been des-
perately injured, or widow with or
phaned children, to become public
charges.
You may know, right in your own
neighborhood, some bright, active
young fellow who went away to be a
railroad man, who either came home
in coffin. or on a stretcher.
You still may be putting your hand
in your pocket, chipping i'm when the
nat is being passed around for the
poor cripple, if he is living, or his
widow and orphans if he died.
Now these are just some of the rea-
sons why Missouri needs a Full
Crew Law"
1t is not an experiment in any sense
of the word. Other great States have
such a Law.
The Full Crew Law" is in full
force and effect in the States of New
York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Arizo-
ma, Indiana, Arkansas, Washington,
California.
And one of the last acts President
Woodrow Wilson performed as Cover
nor of New Jersey was TO atfix his
| name in approval of a Full Crew
Law"
Evene the Supreme {
United States has passed upon til
"Full Crew Law" and given its ap-
proval. When the State of Arkansas
| adopted this law it was thrown into
the courts, which passed favorably up
on it; then appealed to the United
States Supreme Court, where the
learned Judges Of our highest Tribunal
| decided in favor of it.
How would the "Full Grew Law"
help matters? -. -. -. -. $500.
How would it save lives and limbs
and make travelling safer?
This is how it would:
About Is years ago freight trains
were short, only II or Is cars long.
Locomotives were light, tinpot affairs.
as compared with the monsters that
travel the length and breadth of this
state today. Two men on top of cars,
in those short trains, were enough, but
now the cars are longer and higher
| and heavier and trains sometimes
reach 100 cars in length-more than
| mile long.
Can YOU realize this distance?
The rules require the head brake
man to ride near, or on, the engine,
and the rear man to ride near, or in,
the cabooSc.
Why? So that one may go back and
the other ahead and flag other trains
in case q stop is made for any cause.
And the causes are many-broko
rods, broken air hose, dragging brake
beams, draw heads pulling out, defec
tive couplers, and many other rea-
sons.
Now it is highly necessary, for safe
railroad operation, that the rear end
Of freight train should be able to
communicate, by signel, with the en-
CINE.
freight car is 40 feet, and the distance
between cars is nearly 3 feet. A 65-
car train is a common thing on Mis-
souri, railroads, which means that it is
2720 feet from the caboose to the en-
CINE.
Now just try this experiment.
On some nice clear day take some
body with you and tell him to stand
in one spot while you step off 272O
feet in a straight Uncover one-half
mile-then you just try to give him a
signal such as a railroad man uses.
He will have lot of trouble in get
ting that signal so that he understands
| it.
Now, then imagine yourself on top
Of swiftly moving, swaying, bump
ing freight car, going around curve,
on stormy night, with snow and
sleet in your face, driven by bitter
! vivid