The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-06-04
Why Railroads Should Pay Adequate
Salaries

| the l{IlpOItd1lCc VI G0C4ooIS ooA~AA ~
to attract the services of capable and
experienced officers for American rail-
roads. Mr.. Daniel Willard, president
of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
=! Company. made the following state
ment before the Senate Committee on
! Interstate Commerce:
1t seems to me that it is the duty
/; OF the railway officers when they
come here to lay before this commit
tee any information that in their
opinion would seem to be of value IN
dealing with the question. That
prompts me to refer to the subject of
miscellaneous losses. dealt with by
w. Jet Lauck. in which he says:
Salaries of railway officers are we'll
known to be eXorbitant il some
cases
Further. in the same connection. 1t
apears that a bill has been recently
introduced in the House Of Repre-
sentatives providing that salaries
shall be fixed, think, at not over
$4,000 per annum. And then it
provides penalties if anything is done
to pay more than that.
This is a matter very much in the
public mind, and I believe also that
it is very much misunderstood. OF
course, it is obvious that it makes
very little difference to me what
salaries railroad presidents will be
paid, or what their duties will be,
very much longer. because necessa-
rily 1 shall not be in the business
good while longer. But it does make
a difference. great difference. IN
fact, in connection with the whole
subject of success of private owner
ship of railroads. whether that sub
iect is dealt with fairly and IN q
broad minded way.
Discreditable To Succeed?
There are two phases of the sub
iect The first ore is-strange as 1t
seems to me. for 1 cannot understand
it-an official of railroad seems to
hold the only office in connection with
which, in a general way. it seems TO
be discreditable to succeed, as meas
sureG in terms of salary.
We hear of large salaries being
paid to men engaged in the coal bus
mess, and in the steel business, and
in the sugar business, and in the
leather business. and all that sort Of
thing. and the newspapers usually
comment upon such things favoraoly.
If a young man has gone into one
of these businesses and succeeded TO
a position Of high responsibility, and
receives a princely salary. it is not re-
ferred to in terms Of discredit. but In
terms Of commendation.
Even when Mr.. Schwab refers. as
he does occasionally. to the fact that
his company pays its president a mill
lion dollars q. year. no one crltlclzes
it. 1t is looked upon as an evidence
of wise management and good judg-
ment.
But it is quite different when we
come to the railroads. My salary is a
matter Of quite frequent discussion.
1t has been printed in all the news
papers from time to time, and / am
not ashamed of it. but it is considered
a matter of public interest, and US
ually when it is referred to, it is at
tempted to make it appear that in
some way or in some manner am
obtaining more salary than l am fair
" entitled to. and that 1 ought to
apologize for it and reduce it.
Many Executives Leave Roads.
That is the impression that grows
out of the general attitude toward
salaries of railroad presidents. That
attitude has two effects upon the
problem of railroading. and that /
think l ought to explain.
The railroads in the last few years
have lost many of their most capable
and experienced and brightest rail-
way executives. I know of a case
where a young man who grew up in
the railway service was receiving a
salary that was large for his age. and
dT that sort of thing. $4,000 year
1 think, previous to the war. When
the Director General took the rail
roads over he reduced his salary
and Of course this young man re-
did his part But after the war was
over he received an offer of twice that
amount to go with an outside busi-
ness. There was nothing to keep
him in the railroad service when a
higher value was placed upon his
services outside That is typical
case. I could cite dozens OF cases
Of that kind.
Is it a good thing for the trans
portation service to lose men Of that
type? If it is a fact that the trans
portation service is Of that character
THAT men only need be obtained who
may be paid second or third rate
salaries, then limitation might be
placed upon salaries Of executives of
railroads. But when limitation is
placed thereon the effect ought to be
understood.
College Applications Cease
Then there is another and more
serious effect: Formerly it was Gus
tomary for hundreds of bright young
college boys to enter the railroad
service eac'l year I myself received
from c ilege presidents and from boys
at college, communications inquiring
as to how many such boys we could
take into the railway service. They
were anxious then to enter the SER
what iS tho SifI1atiop to-