The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-09
13 ROADS ASK
PUBLIC VERDICT
ON FULL CREWS
viii start Campaign for
Repeal in Pennsylvania
and New jersey.
To OFFER PROOF THAT
LAWS ARE UNWISE

ptTftApEr PHIN. Feb. N.--Thc railroads
a. p,r-yv.ya0ti and New Jersey opened
a campaign to-day to get the full crew
laws repealed in those States. They
announce d purpose to submit the matter
TO the people by a frank presentation
o. the facts
What j, 20 be done by the railroads IL
signatures OF Samuel Rea Theodore
voorhees, ard Daniel willard, as presi-
dents respectively Of the Pennsylvania.
Reading and Baltimore and Ohio rail-
roads They make the announcement as
committee for their own companies
ard ton others.
Briefly the railroad executives base
their objection to the full crew law.
which requires that each passenger and
freight train. shall be manned in a pre-
tcr!bed way. on the ground that II
forces condition in defiance of eco
noniic law.
The statement,
The statement OF the railroad presi-
dents is In part as follows:
A'LFI 'hllS l'AtI hAlbIlt anu dNlAIk 10
promote the larger interests and the
greater good Of tho public. the corpora
ions. their employees and their Sc
cu-ity holders the Arrangements of thir-
,esa railroad companies I'm Pennsylvania
and New Jersey have determined TO
submit an important matter to the
public
Briefly stated they intend TO present
TIE question OF the repeal Of the full
crew laws 70 the public. this being a
problem IN the proper solution OF which
h, public is vitality interested and
should have the right 10 determine upon
10 merits.
These railroad companies seek TO
,rlst the support OF the people OF the
States ~ Pennsylvania and New Jer-
soy FOR repeal by the Legislatures OF the
ful crew laws. Their conscientious
Judgment is that these acts work an in
Justice and accomplish no good.
On no sense do tho railroads war
upon their trainmen The fun crew law,
uhi'h "orn"lS employment on thousands
~ passenger and freight tra.ls of extra
men whose services are not required
forces wRste--not less than 81 800. 900
a YEAR In Pennsylvania alone. II means
70 2' such cases employment without
service
burden on the Public.
That Is a defiance of economic law
Il makes "A proposition which organized
labor hurts itself UNFOLDING II throws
an improper cost upon the railroads.
This ultimately rests upon the public
a. a burden and makes a charge which
transportation service should not he
called upon to bear because Il Is pro-
A. - l..
pl owed service nor In increased operat-
Lg safety. on the contrary IL makes
n impossible for the railroads TO do
many things for the public which the
money now so wasted could be expended
for
let us add that II there shall no
evidence that without such laws the
railroads would underman trains to the
hardship of employees or the detriment
or danger to the public: that. assuming
tho present public service acts do not
give n the commissions ample powers
10 determine what crews are necessary
on different trains and TO compel the
railroads 10 man trains AZ ordered. we
Will openly support amendments to the
present acts as may be necessary to
give such assurance"
v. !. oDonnel, general superintend-
eIl or inc fennsylVanla railroad, II
chairman Of the committee which will
lake charge OF the campaign. The COM
nitteA represents the Pennsylvania Rail-
-oad Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
Philadelphia and Reading Railway. Lee
high Valley Railroad. Erie Railroad.
Delaware. Lackawanna and Western
Railroad Now York Central Lines. Del
aware and Hudson Company, Buffalo,
Rochester and Pittsburg. Pttsburg.
summerville and clarion and Cumber-
land Valley railroads.