New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-30

lard, eX-section hand, ex-fireman, eX-en-
gineer. ex-nearly every other operating
railway job, and now president of the Bal
timore G. Ohio Railroad Company"
And this writer goes on to say:
"There are some paste Jewels in the diadem
Of war which we are now wearing. Willard
IS not one of them; he is a clear white stone
the right man in the right place. That is
not a personal opinion-not mere laudaton
but an easily corroborsted fact. When
President Wilson appointed him 10 the Ad-
visory Commission, in charge more partlcu-
larry Of transport, he made the very selection
which the companies and the shippers them
selves would have made and probably the
only nomination which could have had the
universal support of that vitality important
factor-the brotherhoods and the trainmen
Daniel Willard is the type of man 10 whom
people like 10 give jobs that have baf1ed them.
lie is not now bafled; he has not permitted
himself 10 get away from the principle which
he give TO me:
"'Only one policy can guide the railways
until the war is over. If any matter comes
up for discussion, il must be answered by the
reply 10 this question: "Will the thing under
Consideration help win the war;" Only the
war counts.
cooperating policies get down to this:
Keep the freight cars moving; we can settle
differences afterward- Now let us have no
red on the wheels
''Ihe public does not know Willard as
human being They have known him only as
a name about which they cannot recall q
scandal What kind of man is he? Did he
get his Job by pull? Did he start at the top
and edge along or at the bottom and work
upY Have look at him.
"Fairly tall, rather spare-almost raw
boned-gray hair and young face-the type
that one so often meets among the younger
men who are making America. He dresses
quietly; he makes absolutely no fuss about
what he is doing; he conceals himself when
ever he can, and signs himself ID. Willard
"When he inspects his roads the traiumen
are warned that the ordinary passenger traf-
fc must not IN any way be interfered with.
This in itself is such a departure from old
time methods as to leave one gasping. The
old executives rode the lines in state; the
dispatchers hung the passenger trains in
trees if they could not otherwise get nd OF
them. | recall one president who changed
the time of an entire suburban schedule and
deranged the ancient habits Of the commuters
Just so that daily train might stop for him
al the hour which best suited him TO start
for the city.
Another difference: he knows practically
nothing Of the stock market. lie knows rail
way securities only from the side of making
them better securities by making better prop
critics.
willard claims no intuitive judgments.
When anything is up for decision he insists
upon knowing all the facts. He thinks that
complete knowledge Of all facts will usually
point the way TO the right decision.
"He will tell you anything you want TO
know about his road, and deems it n real
favor 10 have something pointed out 70 him
that he does not know. But if you start 70
talk Willard. he SHES. He said, when tried
to bring him out:
81 am the most ordinary of men,
"That is the end of the Willard topic in
SO far as he is concerned. He is thoroughly
convinced that he never did any one par
ticular thing or ever held one great secret
which brought unusual success. Many things
most things he takes in a matter of fact
way He summed up his career thus;
"Trom the time beeamQtrainmaster, pro-