The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-09-13
TREAT PUBLIC
CONTINUOUSLY
General Order No. 40.
Washington, D. c., August 81, 191

Washington, D. c., August 81, 1918.
To all employees in the railroad SER
vice Of the United States:
Complaints have reached me from
time to time that employees are not
treating the public with as much
consideration and courtesy under
Government control of the railroads
as under private control. | do not
know how much courtesy was ac-
corded the public under private con-
troll, and | have no basis, therefore,
for accurate comparison. | hope,
however, that the reports of dis
courtesy under Government admin
| istration of the railroads are incor-
rect, or that they are at least con-
fined to a relatively few cases.
Whatever may be the merits of the
complaints, they draw attention to
Importance in the management of
the railroads.
For many years it was popularity
believed that "the public be damned"
policy was the policy of the rail
; roads under private control. Such
a policy is indefensible either un-
der private control or Government
control 1t would be particularly
indefensible under public control
when railroad employees are the di-
rect servants of the public 'The
public be damned" policy will in no
circumstances be tolerated on the
railroads under Government control.
Every employee of the railroad should
take pride in serving the public
courteously and efficiently. Cour-
tesy costs nothing and when it is
dispensed, it makes friends of the
public and adds to the self-respect
of the employee.
My attention has also been called
to the fact that employees have
sometimes offered as an excuse for
their own shortcomings, or as JUS
LITIGATION for delayed trains or other
difficulties the statement that
"Uncle Sam is running the railroads
now" or "These are McAdoo's Or
ders," ETC., Nothing could be more
reprehensible than statements of
this character, and nothing could be
more hurtful to the success of the
Railroad Administration or to the
welfare of railroad employees them
selves. No doubt, those who have
made them have done so thoughtless-
ly in most instances, but the harm
is just as great if thing of this
sort is done thoughtlessly as if it
is done deliberately.
There are many people who for
partisan or selfish purposes wish
Government operation of the rail-
roads to be a failure. Every en-
ploye who is discourteous to the
public, or makes excuses or state
ments of the kind / have described.
is helping these partisan or selfish
interests to discredit Government
control of railroads.
Recently the wages of railroad
employees were largely increased,
involving an addition to railroad
operating expenses of more than
S475, 100000 per annum. In order
| to meet this increase, the public
has been called upon to pay largely
increased passenger and freight
rates. The people have accepted
this new burden cheerfully and pa
triotically. The least that every
employee can do in return is to serve
the public courteously, faithfully
and efficiently.
A great responsibility and duty
rest upon the railroad employees of
the United States. Upon their 10y
atty, efficiency and patriotism de-
ponds in large part Americas sue
cess and the overthrow of the Kaiser
and all that he represents. Let us
not fail to measure up to our duty,
and to the just demand of the pub
| lie that railroad service shall not
only be efficient, but that it shall
always be courteously administered.
w. G. McADOO,
Director General of Railroads.