Strike bulletin. (Clinton, Ill.) 1913-1915, 1915-04-28
SPENDING
MILLIONS TO DEFEAT
NEEDED LEGISLATION
RAaroads Forced 10 Adopt Auao-
matte Cosples and Othes
Safety Appliances.
WHY NOT FULL CREW!

The Pull Crew Law throws an i'm.
proper cost upon the railroads, say
the roads. We can go back to 1893
when the railway organizations were
insisting on the adoption OF safety de-
vices and find this same argument
Then the railroads were going to be
put out Of business Of this 'confis-
catory legislation were passed. The
millions upon millions OF dollars that
were needlessly to be spent 10 pro
viding automatic appliances were
held up to the public ~ . great Oh
ject lesson that II was hoped would
lead II to declare against the enact.
ment OF the law The Law was enact.
I'd and today the railway companies
are getting the benefit from II In
longer and heavier trains, while the
main purpose for which the Law was
enacted. that ID, the safety Of the
railway employees has not been served.
Before we had the safety appli.
ance Law II was represented to the
public a. meaning the financial ruin
Of the railway companies. A twenty
five car train was the heaviest train
hauled In this country. To-day the av'
erage train haul will run closer to
seventy-five cars. and the increased
hazard due to the handling Of longer
trains. larger cars and heavier en-
gtnes has offset for the most part
the safety that should have come to
the men through the adoption Of auto
matte appliances.
Many Reasons for Full Crew.
There are many reasons Why an
additional man 10 needed on al
trains. Under railroad regulations the
two brakemen on top Of the train
must be sent out ahead and TO the
rear Of the train. when It 10 stopped
between stations. TO flag. This leaves
only the conductor to make repairs,
such ~ pulled out drawhead. broken
rods. etc. This means . train 10 de-
layed unnecessarily. tying up other
traffic.
But the big reason Why another
man 10 seeded On top Of the long
trains 10 that II viii enable moro
thorough inspection Of the train while
Il 10 running on the road. detecting
such things a. dragging brake beams,
broken rod. defective couplers. ETC..
any Of which. II not noticed In time.
10 liable to cause wrecks. resulting In
the destruction Of property. loss OF
life and delayed traffic. Another man
II needed In order TO enable the rear
Of tue train to transmit signals to
the engine.
A osss Law.
The Full Grew law 10 . good Law
for every citizen In every state. II
will save lives and limbs. which Will
mean fewer public charges In our
communities and charitable institu.
tons. II will save the destruction Of
property and freight which means
that the railroads will have more
money to spend for equipment, In
stead OF damage claims. Prevention
Of delays In freight traffic means bet.
ter service to the public, fewer de-
layed shipments. -. for instance. live
stock and perishable merchandise.
which must be put over the ROAD -
quickly ~ possible In order to avoid
shrinkAse.
1T 10 an axiom In economics that
Whenever pIVpNtSy - oeeNoy 49,
loss II distributed In some form or
other with the public. It can be ab-
sorbed In that way and NO other.
Therefore II 10 to the interest Of every
citizen that everything possible be
done to prevent the destruction Of
railway property. freight shipments
and human lives and limbs. The cost,
M matter how II 10 looked At. nor
how II Is explained. will come out
Of the pockets Of the public In some
form or other.
The Full Grew Law will enable the
railroads to reduce their losses on
destroyed equipment. roadbeds and
freight Reducing the payment Of
damages on personal injuries will en-
able them to save money. and they
would be In . better position to re-
duce their rates on account OF the
operation Of the full crew Law than
to raise them Progress.