The Washington herald., 1921-08-21
FORD AYSRAHR3AD SFAH & 8
BECAUSE OF BAD METHODS
Declares 200-Ton Locomotives Only Wear
Out Rails Tells How He Made Hi.
80 Road Successful.

moving his. products ABOUT the fac
tory. constituted transportation IN =
licrude form and that as q manufac-
lturer, Of automobiles he has kept
Approximately 100000 freight cars
;-ons-nfth Of the existing rolling
stock-busy every year. >
| Sxept the Cars Msvi.s.
Whatever success we have had
In the operation Of the d. T. & I. Is
due to the fact that we found our
selves with Il on our hands. and we
jumped in and ran 1t just as We
would any business" he stated.
I'VE knew that railroads were de-
signed 20 keep cars. moving. SO we
did just that ,-'.a'r -
The Ford Motor Company had
learned about raiiroading from the
shippers side. and we conceived the
idea that II shippers were to be
served, trains had to be started and
kept going until they arrived some
where. Neither. the railroads nor
the shippers were benefited by
trains lying in the yards or upon
sidS tracks.
Imagine all the freight cars Of
the nation moving on an average
OF eighteen miles each twenty-four
hours as they did during the war.
Why. two good men could almost
push a loaded car that distance In
that length OF time. We have in
creased the d. T. q ]. average from
1877 to 36.7. There 10 no good rea-
son why they shouldn't move ITS
miles In twenty-four hours.
Ends Locomotive Loaftur,
How have we done II. you ask :?
elimination OF the loannE, you
might call it. We have ended the
loannE of locomotives. the loahng
Of cars and the loafng OF men.
Any manufacturer who allowed his
goods to loaf In the factory a.
things are allowed to loaf on side
tracks and in railroads would run
Into ruin quick"
whats the matter with railroad
organizations?" he was asked.
Exploitation. exploitation" was
his answer. grasping the oppor.
aunity for paying his respects to
the banking element which he
holds responsible for most Of the
evils Of our economic system.
| All business has too many stock
holders who never do anything but
| injure the business and draw down
dividends" he continued. Rail.
roads have not been operated with
the view to giving service. They
have been operated for the purpose
OF exploitation and to deliver the
percentage Of gain which absentee
stockholders must have.
Increased rates and Increased
fares-how much Of that cry we
hear from the carriers who are all
prompted by the irrepressible love
OF gain. The poor simpletons do
not know that the fundamental in
making money Is to serve. II they
would decrease the rates and add
to the service they would make
money.
But they do not see that. They
pour in more money to perpetuate
their bad methods. Money never
made efficiency. One thing we are
learning today is the failure OF
money as a substitute for common
sense and concentrated work.
| The d. r & J., was for many
years a dismal failure merely be.
cause II failed 10 serve. When re-
eeiyerships came one after another
they pointed to its running from
some remote spot on the Ohio River
TO spot near Detroit through nm
productive territory with no cities
to feed II. Well. the same d. T q.
l. Is succeeding now. Why? Be-
cause IL serves.
Trains Moving Randy.
TITS trains. which never knew
schedule are now moving regularly
with the goods Of the shipper. We
are delivering freight in some case,
ahead Of the bill Of lading, which
is rather novel for the railroadinp
business" he added
Just how does that come about ~
he was asked
you are so far at least operating
the road with the same elements. the
same locomotives. the same rolling
stock and with human beings Jus,
as before"
Yes. human beings are Just the
same young man. but different
human beings. he responded.
fnats the key to IL all. Men and
woman working for the D. T. { L
are working with a far different
spirit than they worked for the D.
I. & of yesterday. whether they
are engineers. trainmen. mechanics
or what not. they are now doing the
thing the welfare of the D. T & /.
requires.
Question Of Work. He Says.
"A short time ago was making
a trip Of inspection over the line.
ut Is only 454 miles long, IN one
section I noticed a bundle Of steel
wire mislaid and rapidly deteriorat-
Ing In a puddle of water. Inquiry
among members OF the maintenance
OF way crews showed that the wire
mad not been picked up because It
Tell within the Jurisdiction of the
next crew UP the line, That is no
longer the system on the D. r. & /.
TITS simply q question of work.
work and work." he concluded.
| What's been done In the depart
ment Of the automobile can be done
In the develoment Of transportation,
which is only another. commodity
the people must have. There's no
reason why. like the automobile, it
should not be produced for less cost
while providing even more employ
meme and making every one happy
all around. Surely that's a more
iaadabie object than the ruthless
pursuit Of gain which Is responsible