The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-05-27

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persistency that mounted to male
volencys the charge that during fed
eral operations of railroads the en-
ployes were disloyal and inefficient.
No large group Of American citi-
zens has ever been subjected to a
more bitter and unjust campaign of
abuse than has been endured by the
100000 railroad workers.
Every responsible official of the
railroad administration has given
voluntary tribute to the loyal and
efficient services Of these workers,
completely refuting the charges and
insinuations uttered against them.
1t Is. therefore. proper to inquire
into the conduct of railroad off,
Gals. to determine whether they,
too. were loyal to the government
during it's greatest emergency and
gave the same generous, efficient
service contributed by the workers
to the winning of the war.
In simple justice it should be
stated at the outset that majority
of railroad officers measured up to
their full responsibility an dobliga-
ton. The value of the services they
rendered has been fully attested by
former officials of the railroad ad-
ministration.
1t is equally true that some Off
cials-usually those most highly
placed-were neither loyal nor eff
cient, in support of which statement
there is available abundant testi-
mony.
Officials Were Inefficient.
Testifying before the senate COM
mittee on interstate commerce, Feb.
1, 1922, William Gibbs McAdoo, di-
! rector general of railroads during
the first year of federal control, aft
err paying tribute to the loyalty of
railroad workers, declared:
CD That some prominent rail-
road officials did not or would not
render loyal and efficient service
and were subsequently removed from
management.
CD That the. offending officials
failed to maintain average earnings
for their corporations, thereby in
curing heavy deficits that were met
| by the government.
| CD That hard these faithless Of
ficials performed their full duty
while they were entrusted with rail-
road management there would not
have been a deficit during the first
year of federal operation.
ca That payrolls were padded,
thereby imposing an unjust and un-
necessary burden upon the govern.
ment Of hundreds of millions of dol
liars.
For nearly five months" Mr.. Nc
Adoo said, 1.-The full power of the
| government was put behind these
corporations These executives were
backed to the limit in what they
and the railroad war board, had de.
clared necessary to operate the rail.
roads successfully.
| 1.-The conditions on the Pennsyl.
vania. the Baltimore and Ohio, the
Reading and the Central Railroad
Of New Jersey were so 'unsa tisfac-
tory because of the congestion on
these lines and their failure to pro-
duce the requisite amount of trans
portation, in effect paralyzing trans
portation all over the eastern terri
tory, that I became convinced that
THE ENGAGEMENTS WERE NOT
EFFICIENT.''
Rail President Warned.
On the 18th of January, 1913, Mr..
McAdoo addressed letters to the
presidents of these railroads, in
which he stated frankly" as we
were in the midst of a great war,
the public interest and the life of
the nation demanded that these rail-
roads should be operated efficiently
and that excuses were worth moth
ing.
Unless there was an immediate
decided improvement, Mr.. McAdoo
warned these presidents, it would
be necessary to make a. change in
the management of these properties
In his letter to President Rea, OF
the Pennsylvania, Mr.. McAdoo said
II would not be candid If did
not tell you that am not fully sat.
isfied with the efficiency Of the man.
agement of the Pennsylvania rail.
road. T believe that great improve.
ment can be made, and T look tt
you and the officers of that sys.
tenn to bring that improvement
about at the earliest possible mo-.
ment. L would not be frank 1T
did not tell you that unless there i.
decided improvement in the eff.
cheney of the Pennsylvania system q
change in the management will be.
come inevitable"
Mr.. McAdoo issued similar warn.
ing to President Willard, Of the Bal.
timore and Ohio railroad, under date
of Jan. ~. saying: :..
Il would be less candid If did
not tell you that I am dissatisfied
with the management Of the Balti
more and Ohio. think it has proven
inefficient and unequal to- the pres
ent situation I am sure it can b<
improved and expect improvement
I speak thus frankly because I fee
that you ought to know that a
change in. the management Of thu
Baltimore and Ohio railroad will b.
inevitab BILE Unless better results are
speedily obtained"
In a letter to A. r. Dice. president
Of the Philadelphia and Reading
railroad, dated Jan 10. 1915, Mr.
McAdoo said:
II am not at all satisfied with
conditions on the Philadelphia and
Reading railroad. From the reports
I get 1T is not measuring up to thu
demands of the situation. This ap
pears to be due to. a lack OF eff