The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-27

mikHt i've. ndu 10 thhe Steps W III
crease their hourly rates. which was
done.
Earning Power Decreased.
No change In the Federal law has
made by Congress since its original
The courts have interpreted
the law as questions arose under II. and
out of these interpretations men again
found their earning power decreased
any relief from the onerous
hours exacted at places other than their
homes. not necessarily on duty. but taxi
ing rest under conditions which pro.
duced fatigue.
In other words. the sixteen hour Law
Is not an unmixed blessing. ~ under
8. the men found and do find to-day that
the tendency is toward keeping men on
continuous duty Tor sixteen hours. tying
irr.ght crews up on the road between
the fourteenth and sixteenth hour wher-
1t Is possible. that compels such
men when so tied up to take their rest
In cabin cars, on the floor Of the engine
or no place at all, just 30 long az the
law IL satisfied by showing that the man
has been physically released from duty
eight or ten hours, as the case
might be.
But the law does not require that
the man so released from duty be per-
mitted to lay his tired body In a bed.
tate of his clothing and wash OF do
things which are absolutely requisite
and necessary In order that men can be
and refreshed md be put In
proper condition to perform the respon-
sible duties required.
one Of tie demands OF our o~rgani1a-
ton at this present session Of Con-
ercss IL tina; the sixteen hour law be
amended ~ as To make The minimum
penalty for each violation OF that law
500 instead OF the 81 or $3.50 which
some Of the courts ave been imposing.
WHY do We seek this amendment? Be-
cause II is our fundamental desire TO
cut Off excess hours from a mans m
all of which 20 far toward
fastening on that nan %occupational dis
eases. causing In due time ~occupational
disability.
In no other occupation are employees
confronted with the rigid and constant
physical examinations as are men EN-
ployed in engine and train service. En-
CINE and train men are periodically re-
CURED To undergo most rigid physical
tests.
Every man who is off duty on account
Of sickness is given a rigid test before
he is permitted 10 return to active duty.
These tests consist OF eye examinations.
heart examinations. kidney tests. blood
pressure tests and any other test which
the doctor deems essential or necessary
IN order 10 lay bare the mans physical
qualifications required in the perform
ance Of his duty in the tngine or train
service.
Occupationnl diseases.
Slight affections of the heart or kid
high blood pressure. defective hear
ing or defective color perception will
effectively debar engine or train men
from returning tn active service. The
Government has seen NJ TO investigate
occupa,ional diseases in many other
walks OF human endeavor. hut up to
the present time no survey or ~investi-
CATION has been made by any govern
mental authority Of occupat!onal dis
abilities o~vertaking men in engine and
train service.
want to revert again &c the efficiency
tester, the man watching the perform
ance Of the men In train service to see
that the highes, state Of productive ef-
fort on the part Of each individual IL
fully developed, ans ! want to link with
this efficiency tester the question OF dis
cipline.
| say with all the pride at my COM.
mand that the discipline existing on the
American railroads IL second to none
IN the world. II is more rigid than the
discipline in any other business or un-
deitak!ng. and justly so. because lives
ANA property are at take. But in the
very riridity of discipline mont OF us can
overlook the fact tina, when men are
constantly employed beyond the powers
OF human endurance the mental facul-
ties become and their perceptions are
blurred as between the right and wrong
way Of doing things.
Nobody can tell the story OF the tired
railroad mans exhaustion due 10 Ions
hours and overwork better than that
mar can tell il himself. Nobody can tell
the story of the muscular
coming from long hours Of overwork bet
ter than the man who has experienced II.
No man can tell Of the physical and
mental torture OF the tired engineer. who
becomes so tired as not TO realize his
mistake until IL is too late better thar
the man who experiences IL. No one
can tell OF that Intense muscular pain
In the lower limbs Of the railroad mans
body, when he only alienation he can
find il IN having IA pillow placed under
his legs and his legs rubbed with oint.
mcnt Of some kind, better than the man
who experiences such pain.
This pain does not come from working
short hours it comes from working long
hours, the vibration of the rough freight
cars. vibration 81 the locomotive and
tender, climbing over and under cars.
loaded and empty, jumping on and of
ears in some districts where the tracks
are Uttered with broken stone and such
like, ~ turns the mans feet and makes
the muscles OF his legs CULVER when they
alight.
The newspaper articles all over the