Evening journal., 1918-09-12
n,ILno,p MEN AND THE PUBLIC.

-, LILLIAN G. McADOO Drector-General Of Railroads,
w has addressed all employees Of the United States
Railroad Service general order which If enforced VIII
meet with nationwide approval It is as follows:
Complaints have reached me from time to time that
employees not treating the public with as much con.
sideraOn and courtesy under Government control OF
the railroads under private control ] do not know
how much courtesy accorded the public under pr-
control and have basis therefore for accurate
comparison. hope, however that the reports OF as
courtesy under Government administration OF the rail-
roads incorrect that they at least confined 10
relatively few Whatever may be the merits OF
these complaints they draw attention to question which
is Of the utmost importance in the management OF le
For many years 10 was popularly believed that the
public be damned policy the policy Of the railroads
under private control Such policy is indefensible
either under private control Government control IL
would be particularly ndefensble under public control
when railroad employees the direct servants or the
public. "1he public be damned policy VIII in no cir
cumstances be tolerated the railroads under Govern
ment control Every employe OF the ralroaus shoul9
take pride In serving the public cOurteously ana
efficiently Courtesy costs nothing and when u IS dis
ponsed it makes friends of the public and adds to the
sefrespect Of the empoye.
My attention has also called TO the fact that
emploves have sometimes offered for their
own shortcomings or as justification for delayed trains
or other difficulties, the statement that Uncle sam Is
running the railroads now" or "They are McAdoo's
ORDERS etc Nothing could be more reprehensble than
statements Of this character and nothing could be more
hurtul to the OF the Railroad Administration
TO the welfare Of railroad employees themselves no
doubt those who have made them have done thought
essy in most instances but the harm is just as great
II tnlng OF tS sort Is uOne LlOublllcssg dS uuhS
deliberately
There are many people who for partisan or selfish
purposes wish Government operation Of the railroads to
be failure Every employe who discOurteous to the
public or makes statements OF the kind |
have described is helping these partisan selfish inter
ests TO discredt Government control OF railroads
Recently the wages OF railroad employees were largely
increased involving addition 10 railroad operating ex
penses Of than S75OO0OOO 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 burden cheerfuly and
periodically. The least that every empoye can do in
return 30 the public courteousy faithfully and
efficiently
great responsibility and duty rests upon the rail-
employees OF the United States. Upon their loyalty,
efficiency and patriotism depends in large part Americas
and the overthrow of the Kaiser and all that he
represents Let not fail to measure TO our duty,
and Just demand Of the public that railroad
vice shall not only be efficient but that il shall always
be courtcously administered.
Most railroad courteous 10 the public.
There are some of them however, who are so dis
courteous that they arouse public feeling against and
public criticism of the service a whole.
The largely preponderating courteous element should
welcome such order from the official head Of all the
railroads in the United States and for the good OF
a most important service, give TO it the moral and
practical support that will make t fully effective.