The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-09
RAILROAD MEN
 RECEIVE ORDERS
 ID 60 ID WORK Letter From President Bid dle of Frisco Explains Situation Clearly and
 Is Reproduced

Soliciting freight and passenger agents yesterday received orders to resume their former occupations of soliciting business for their various lines, and they are today actively engaged In their for mer pursuit of chasing the business men who have made purchase for their routing over "our line."
 This augments well for the local boys' who have had an indigo disposition for the past few days. and not without rea- son, either. Those offices that recently received orders to stop operations right where they were when the order came are now ordered to take up operations right where they left off upon receipt of the order to hold up.
 The following letter received in this city by Capt J. R. McGregor from Fris- co headouarters was written by w. B.. Fiddle, president of the Frisco system, and printed in the St. Louis Globe-Demo- crat of January 8, and states the situa- ton so clearly that 1t is reproduced in The Age-Herald at the request of several local railroad men:
 T have read the editorial in your pa per of yesterday with great deal of in- terest and desire to congratulate you on the very clear and fair-minded view taken of the change from individual to government direction of railroads.
 q am particularly impressed with the suggestion that the present organization of the American railroads built up through a long period of active effort through strenuous and difficult problems in the past, should not be disturbed at this time.
 Naturally, with all railroads unified under government direction with guar a2teed basis of earnings, solicitation of traffic will be unnecessary. Many vacan- cies created by enlistment and the first draft have already been filled from the ranks of soliciting forces. The second draft will, without doubt, call many more railroad employees to the colors, thus making 1t possible to find employment for ali
 .sIt must not be forgotten by the pub lie. anG I am sure will not be over- looked by the government. that the em- ploycs of American railroads have se- cured employees rights by long years of faithful and loyal service to their com panies. Largely because of economic req sons, this service has not received the recognition, in all cases that 1t deserved hut at all times there has been deep seated feeling in the minds of railway executives that an obligation existed or the part of the railway companies tc l give continuous employment to the mer who had served them faithfully. The government has long recognized the plar | of civil service and we know that govern | tent employees are not released from em ployment because of changes in admins | tra ton or temporary upheavals in organi zst!on Again, we have in effect pension I plans on many of our larger systems pension rights being based on continuou. 1 and faithful service. No fair-mindet man will take the position that thu rights of employees under this system should be cast aside and have years o service go for naught. If such right. were ignored at this time it would dis credit the employers of labor and wider the breach between the employer and tn, cmploye.
 While the railroads are united undel the control of the director general o railroads. 1t does not seem to me that il l Is necessary. at this time, to decide on a wholesale release of employees simply because 1t Is found wise to suspend pres
 ent methods.
 The policy of the Frisco company will