The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-08-20
DIRECTOR INSISTS
AL RAILROAD MEN
B { COURTEO s

Washington, D. c., Aug. 19.-Direc-
tor General Of Railroads McAdoo de-
mands that railroad employees adopt
an unvarying policy of courtesy to-
ward shippers and the travelling pub
lie and the railroad administration has
issued the following order bearing up
on the subject:
To all employees in the railroad SER
vice of the United Staxes:
Complaints have reached me from
time to time that employees are not
treating the public with as much con-
side ration and courtesy under govern
ment control Of the railroads as under
private control. I do not know how
much courtesy was accorded the pub
lie under private control, and I have
no basis, therefore, for accurate COM
parison. I hope, however, that the
reports of discourtesy under govern
ment administration of the railroads
are incorrect, or that they are at least
confined to a relatively few cases
Whatever may be the merits of these
complaints, they draw attention to a
question which is of the utmost inn
portance In the management of the
railroads.
For many years 1t was popularity be-
lieved that the public be damned"
policy was the policy of the railroads
under private control. Such a policy
is indefensib1e either under private
control or governments control It
would be particularly indefensible un-
der public control when railroad en-
ployees are the direct servants of the
public. "The public be damned" policy
Will in no circumstances be tolerated
on the railroads under government con-
troll. Every employee OF the raNroa
should take pride in serving the pub
lie courteously and efficiently. Court
esq costs nothing and when it is dis
pensed. 1t 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 some
times offered as an excuse for their
own shortcomings, or as a justifica-
ton for delayed trains or other diff
culties the statement that Uncle Sam
is running the railroads now or
These are McAdoo's orders" etc.
Nothing could be more reprehensibIe
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
themselves. No doubt, those who have
made them have done SO tnoughtlessly
| in most instances, but the harm is just
as great if a thing of this sort is done
thoughtlessly as if it is done deliber-
ately.
There are many people who for par
tisan or selfish purposes wish govern
ment operation of the railroads to be q
failure. Every employee who is dis
| courteous to the public or makes ex-
cuses or statements of the kind / have
described is helping these partisan or
selfish interests to discredit govern
ment control of railroads
Recently the wages Of railroad en-
ployees were largely increased. involv-
ing an addition to railroad operating
expenses of more than $3.50 900 per
annum. In order to meet this increase.
the public has been called upon to pay
largely increased freight and passen-
ger rates. The peoples have accepted
| this new burden cheerfully and patrio-
| tically. The least that every employee
can do IN return is to serve the pubic
lcourteously. faithfully and efficiently.
A great responsibility and duty rests
+, upon the railroad employees of the
United States Upon their loyalty, eff
ficiency ard patriotism depends in
/ large part Of Americas success and the
| overthrow of>the kaiser and all that
he represents Let Us not fail 70 mea-
sure up to cur duty and to the just de-