The Marietta journal and courier., 1918-08-30
GENERAL ORDER NO. 40.


To all employees in the railroad
service of the United States:
Complaints have reached me from
time to time that employees are not
treating the public with as much con-
s;Gertion and courtesy under Govern
ment control of the railroads as un-
der private control. | do not know
how much courtesy was accorded the
public under private control, and |
h.ve no basis, therefore, for accurate
comparison. | hope, however, that
the reports of discourtesy under Gov
ernment administration of the rail-
roads 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 is was popularity
believed that "the public be damned"
policy was the policy of the railroads
under private control. Such policy
is indefensible either under private
&C ntror or Government control. 1t
would be particularly indefensible un
der public control when railroad en-
rloyees are the direct servants of the
pt bile. "The public be damned pol
lev will in no circumstances be toler-
ated on the railroads under Govern
ment control Every employee OF
the railroad should take pride in SER
wing the public courteously and eff
ficiently. Courtesy costs nothing and
when it is dispensed, it makes friends
of the public and adds to the self-re-
spect of the employee.
Ny attention has also been called
to the fact that employees have some
times offered as an excuse for then
own shortcomings, or as a Justlflca-
ton for delayed trains or other diff
ficulties the statement that "Uncle
Sam is running the railroads now" OF
''These are McAdoo's orders" etc
Nothing could be more reprehenslble
than statements of this character, ano
nothing could be more hurtful to the
success of the Railroad Administra-
ton or to the welfare of railroad EN-,
ployees themselves. No doubt, those
who have made them have done SC
thoughtlessly 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 purposesGwish Gov
elnment operation of the railroads 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 par
tisan or selfish interests to discredlt
Government control of railroads.
Recently the wages of railroad en-
ployees were largely increased, IN.
volving an addition to railroad oper,
ating expenses of more than $475
eco, 1000 per annum. In order to meet
this increase, the public has been call
ed upon to pay largely increased pas
senger and freight rates. The peo
pie have accepted this new burdeE
cheerfully and patriotically. The
least that every employee can do II
return is to serve the public courte
ously, faithfully and efficiently.
A great responsibility and duty
rests upon the railroad employees Of
the United States. Upon their 10y,
atty, efficiently and patriotism de
pends 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 public
that railroad service shall not only be
efficient, but that it shall always be
ourteously administered.
w. G. McAdoo,
Director General Of Railroads