The New York herald., 1921-12-07
ROADS HAMPERED,
SAYS ATTERBURY
Companies Need Full Control
Over Workmanship Enter
ing Into Service.
IMPROVEMENTS HALTED
Fears That Wave of Prosper
ity Will Find Them I'm
prepared for Burden.

AKRON. Ohio. Dec. 6.-Gen. W. W.
Atterbury, vice. e-president in charge OF
operation of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
addressed to-day the Chamber OF Com
rnerce on "The Railroad Situation of
To-day"
Referring to the measures being taken
by the railroads in order to reduce the
cost OF transportation 10 the public. Gen.
Atterbury pointed out that even grant
Ing anticipated results and practical
benefit to the travelling and shipping
Public, the railroad problem as it exists
to-day will be far from solved unless the
management OF the railroads is relieved
fl ON unwarranted and unnecessary in
reference in the conduct of the trans
pcrtation business and restored to con-
troll over the workmanship" that enters
INTO the furnishing OF railroad service
"One of the greatest problems con-
fronting the railroads to-day" he said
lis to restore the old feeling of loyalty
on the part of their employees, which
was in large part destroyed during the
period Of Government control. The in
creased cost of running the railroads
during the war was not the most serious
damage that Government control in
ihNeSu upOi Us. ne most serious INJURY
was in the decentralization of railroad
personnel and the inroads that were
made upon the domain of management
Direct Dealing with Men.
You have probably read something
about our efforts on the Pennsylvania
Railroad to cope with this problem. and
the success which has attended our plan
Believing as we do that there can be no
permanent Improvement in what is
known as the railroad situation without
a restoration of the cooperative basis
Of dealing as between the officers and
the employees, we have been seeking one
object ana one alone-the right to deal
directly with our own employees. without
interference on the part of those who
have interests to serve other than those
of the service this company is expected
to render to the public.
The time honored policy Of the
Pennsylvania Railroad has been to deal
with Its own employees upon a basis at
least as liberal and generous as that
of any other railroad of the country
and in many respects a more liberal
policy has been followed. There is no
effort TO prescribe union labor on the
Pennsylvania system. but there is a
conscientious effort to see to it that the
men who represent the employees col
lectively in their relations with the
company do in effect embody the
wishes of the Pennsylvania Railroad
employees. and not the wishes of ma
tional officers of an organization not
primarily interested in promoting the
services of the Pennsylvania.
Need for improvements.
Now as to the future. AS came
here to-day one or two men said 10 me
that they had a few orders for iron and
steel for the railroads Every such order
is a replacement for worn out material.
There is very little or no new work
going on. A great property like the
Pennsylvania. that ought to be spend
ing millions year for that purpose. is
spending practically nothing for i'm
provement and expansions. You are
going to be perfectly amazed when the
figures of the money spent for improve
ment and expansion by the railroads of
the country this year are published as
to the snallness of this work which has
been done In the last year
I'VE ought to be preparing ourselves
to take care of the prosperity which IS
sure to come. When IL comes, II will
come fast. Railroad facilities cannot be
built overnight. They must be planned
long in advance II takes years to build
yards, terminals and other necessaries
When this big volume OF business
comes. as it is sure TO come, and you
again begin to offer TO the railroads
goods to be carried in large quantities,
and your prosperity depends upon get
ting the goods to market promptly. you
Will find. unless conditions quickly
change. the railroads will be unable to
carry your goods.
And when that time comes. you are
going TO blame the railroad men who
are then managing the properties. May
say that what will then appear to be
the fault OF the management will really
have been the result of your inaction
now"