The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-25
Railroad MerUs of Week
BY V. E. BUNDY.

, the picture because the public feels
more at home there, as a rule, than
anywhere else. They have paid the
taxes which built the place, and their
auditorium is usually clean, roomy
and convenient,
A Long Circuit.
The circuit, which is one of the long
est that a single film covers in the
moving picture exhibition business.
will begin at Cushing, Okla The
route extends thru Oklahoma. Texas.
Mexico. Kansas. Missouri and Iowa.
The trip will end in Topeka, where
the film will be shown on two nights,
Monday and Tuesday, April IL and l 2,
in the city auditorium.
Three previous films have been
shown. all of them before the war.
During the war and government ad-
n1inistration of the roads, the film was
not shown, altho the original intention
had been to start new film out every
two years.
The picture is to be shown stimuli
taneouslv along the lines of twelve
United States railroads, which Co
operated in its taking, and are sharing
in the benefits from its use.
Decrease In Death Rate.
The safety record of the Santa Fe
during the time since the war, and
especially during 1920, Hale character
lied as shameful. In 1917 there were
killed in service on the Santa Fe, fifty
train, yard and engine employees. The
safety campaign resulted in the de-
crease of this number. to twenty-four
in 1913, and to fourteen in 1919. At
the same time that the 20 per cent de-
crease in the number, of killings was
accomplished, the number of nonfatal
a nfNtr nF4 tes -
was reduced by SO per cent.
But during the first nine months of
1920 there were twenty-six employees
killed in service, as against seven killed
during the first nine months of 1919.
During the same nine months instead
of a decrease In the number of nom
fatal accidents there was an increase
of A per cent.
Due 10 Dissatisfaction.
Hale blames the entire increase on
the state of mind of the employees at
the present time. Dissatisfaction with
the wage awards and general restless
ness have resulted in the mems minds
being taken off their work, with the
result of the loss of lives, he declared.
me general spirit and psychology of
the time is to blame, he believes. for
the mounting death and accident rate.
Inc men are out of tune he said, in
SPShhAA5 u lAS COuulllOn mentioned.
But the latter months of 1920 have
again shown a decided Improvement,
and he believes that the Improvement
will continue.
Faulty Equipment Is Blamed.
Three per cent of the accidents to
railroad employees in the United States
are due to faulty equipment, Hale's
analysis of the situation shows; Z per
cent are unavoidable and unforeseen
BILE. The remaining 80 per cent are due
simply and solely to the fact that the
men do not think what they are doing.
Hale declines to regard as heroic
the man who takes a chance which
may result in his own death or per-
manent injury, or that of some fellow
employe, and which may throw upon
the wife of the employe the burden of
caring for the family and for him,
and tn reduction of his children's
opportunities in life.
Such man is a coward in the
first place." he declares. His object
in taking a chance can be only one
IF two things-to save a little time or
a little effort. He won't be any bet
himself walking a. quarter of a mile
or the expenditure of a little effort
now, and the time which he saves is
company time. and doesn't add a
nickel to his pay check. The COM
pany is willing and ready to pay him
for the time it takes to be careful.
Paid Well for Time.
"If he is a brakeman, the company
pays him for giving the engineer a
stop signal and pays him for the time