Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-08-21
DIRECTOR GENERAL MCADOO
s CAUTIONS RAIL EMPLOYEES
Courtesy to the Public is Required
Swell as Loyalty to Govern
ment Administration.
General Order No. 40.
Washington. D. G.

49, August IS. 1918
Z 10 all employees in the railroad serv-
RI Ice of the United States:
complaints have reached me from
time to time that employees are not
treating the public with as much con-
zaeratson and courtesy under Govern
Meht control of the railroads as under
private control. do not know how
much courtesy was accorded the pub
TIC under private control, and | have
no basis, therefore. for accurate COM
parlson. | hope. however, that the
< reports OF discourtesy under Govern
ment administration Of the railroads
are incorrect, or that they are at least
confined to relatively few cases.
Whatever may be the merits of these
complaints, they draw attention to a
question which is of the utmost i'm
portance in the management OF the
railroads.
For many years it was popularity be-
E lieved that the public be damned"
policy was the policy of the railroads
under private control. Such policy
is indefensible either under private
control or Government control 1t
would be particularly indefensible
under public control when railroad
employees are the direct servants of
the public. The public be damned"
policy will in no circumstances be toll
Grated on the railroads under Govern
ment control. Every employee OF the
railroads should take pride in serving
the public cOurteously and efficiently
Courtesy costs nothing and when it
h8Sdispensed, it makes friends OF the
public and adds to the selfrespect OF
the employee.
My attention has also been called
5 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 reprehensible
than statements of this character, and
nothing could be more hurtful to the
success of the Railroad Administration
= -r.to the welfare of railroad employees
'.emselves. No doubt, those who
5& I'VE made them have done so thought
s: 4tssly in most instances, but the harm
8 just as great if thing of this
sort is done thoughtlessly as if is is
Hone deliberately.
4AeIo are uduy people WHO lOI
partisan or selfish purposes wish
Government operation OF the rail
roads to be a failure. Every employee
who is discourteous to the public or
| makes excuses or statements of the
kind have described, is helping these
partisan or selfish interests to dis
credit Government control OF rail
roads.
Recently wages Of railroad employ
ees were largely increased, involving
an addition to railroad operating ex-
penses of more than $475,000,0O0 per
annum. In order to meet this in
/ crease, the public has been called
i upon to pay largely increased passen-
| ger and freight rates. The people
I have accepted this new burden cheer
>tfssSifSs and periodically. The least that
+ every employee can do in return is to
serve the public courtaously, faith
fully and efficietly.
{ A great responsibility and duty
rest upon the railroad employees of
: the United States. Upon their loyalty,
efficiency and patriotism depends in