The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-06-24
COURTESY is AIM
OF THE SOUTHERN

IN an effort to further increase the
degree OF courtesy shown by Southern
employees, Fairfax Harrison. president
has issued a letter which will be mailed
TO every employe ON the pay roll en-
phasizins the duty each employe is due
the public and urging the employees al
ways TO be courteous even in connec-
eioh with unreasonable questions and
requests. The letter is as follows:
washington. ID. c., June 20. 1914
10 All OFFICERS and Employees OF
Southern Railway Company:
A railroad is first of all a public
servant 1t follows that the success of
a railroad as a business enterprise de-
pehds, IN very large measure, not only
upon the efficiency of the transporta-
tlon 1t affords, but upon the personal
treatment which those doing business
With the railroad receive at tha hands
OF Its officers and employees Therefore
in addition to doing everything in his
power to promote the physical eff
cheney OF our service, each officer and
employe. whatever may be his rank or
DUTY, must at all times consider the
moral efficiency. and this means first
OF all that he should treat all patrons
or the company and others with whom
he may come into contact with polite
ness and courtesy. This is a primary
rule of management of Southern Rail-
way company, but 1t is no more than
each officer or employee himself expects
OF every one from whom he buys This
rule should be observed regardless of
the amount of business that the fndi-
vidual may give to the company. not
only because that Is the part of a gen
tleman, but from self-interest for the
occasional traveller or the small ship
per of today may be the constant tray
elcr or the large shipper of tomorrow.
A nursed grudge growing ont of a surly
answer has been responsible for many
of the troubles of the railroads Let
us then all try to please the public
" lie station agent should remember
that al his station he is the Southern
Railway company and that public opin-
ion regarding Il e company in his COM
munity is very largely his RESPONSE
bflity. In addition to maintaining the
highest efficiency al his station he
should see to it that he and his sub
ordinates maintain pleasant and agree
able manners in meeting the public and
that all questions. even unreasonabl BILE
questions, are answered with polite
ness and courtesy.
ut is equally important that train
men shall observe the rule of courtesy
and politeness, giving full. responsive
and intelligent information to those
passengers who solicit 1t about any
thing that may happen on the road
The operation of railroad is interest
ing to every intelligent man, and the
more information such a man has
about actual conditions the more he
will understand the difficulties en-
countered in operation and so con-
tribute to sound public opinion.
II am proud to believe that the gen
eral average of courtesy and politeness
in the Southern railway organization
will compare most favorably with that
of any railroad in the United States.
Good manners are traditional in the
south and our men are southern men.
This is attested by many letters which
are received by the management COM
mending individual employees for con-
spicuous acts of courtesy and painstak
| ing efforts to serve our patrons.
Occasionally, however, letters are re-
| ceived complaining of instances of dis
courtesy. These may be entirely elm
mated If each officer and employe will
adopt as his rule of conduct the dec
| laration by the late President Finley,
! that He serves the railroad best who
serves the public best
| "FAIRFAX HARRISON,
| 'President."