Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-19
M'ADOO ORDERS
RAILROAD MEN
TO Be POLITE
L. S. Director Declares Pub
lie Be Damned" Spirit Will
Not Be Tolerated

Railroad employees were specifically
ordered by Director General McAdoo
to-day to show courtesy in dealings
with the public and TO cease ex-
cusing train delays and other err
rors with the plea that Uncle Sam
is running the railroads now"
THE public be damned" policy in
no circumstances will be tolerated
on the railroads under government
control" said the director generals
order, addressed TO ''all employees in
the railroad service of the United
States"
The order follows:
Complaints have reached me from
time to time that employees are not
treating the public with as much con-
sidera1ion and courtesy under govern
Inent control of the railroads as under
private control. do not know how
much courtesy was accorded the pub
lie under private control. and / have
no basis, therefore, for accurate COM
parison. l 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 at
tention to a question which is of the
utmost Importance in the manage
ment 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 under
private control or government con-
. Ii 10 49,, -, t.,
defensible under public control when
railroad employees are the direct SER
wants of the public.
" The public be damned policy in
no circumstances will be tolerated on
the railroads under government con-
troll Every employe OF the railroad
should take pride in serving the pub
lie courteously and efficiently. Cour-
tesy costs nothing and when it is dis
pensed, il makes friends of the pub
lie and adds to the self-respect of
the employe.
My attention also has been called
TO the fact that employees sometimes
have offered as an excuse for their
own shortcomings. or as a justihca-
tion for delayed trains or other diff
ficulues the statement that Uncle
Sam is running the railroads now
or these are McAdoo's orders etc.
Nothing could be more reprehensible
than statements of this character
and nothing could be more hurtful
TO the success of the railroad admins
tration or to the welfare of the
railroad employees themselves. No
doubt. those who have made them
have done so thoughTlessly in most
instances, but the harm is Just as
great If thing of this sort is done
thoughtlessly as if done deliberately.
There are many people who for
partisan or selfish purposes wish
government operations of the rail-
roads to be a failure. Every en-
ploye who is discourteous to the pub
lie or makes excuses or statements of
the kind l haave described, is help
ing these partisan or selfish interests
TO diScredit government control of
railroads.
Recently the wages of railroad en-
ployes were largely increased, involv-
ing an addition TO RAILROAD operating
expenses of more than 5000, 600
per annum. In order to meet this in
crease. the public has been called
upon TO pay largely increased pas
senger and freight rates. The people
have accepted this new burden cheer
fully and patriotically. The least
that every employe can do in re-
turn is TO serve the public courte-
ously. faithfully and efficiently.
"A great responsibility and duty
rest upon the railroad employees of
the United States. Upon their 10y
atty. efficiency and patriotism depends
in large part Americas success 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 public that
railroad service shall not only be eff.
acient, but that it always shall be
courteously administered"