Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-04-03

the charge that during Federal opera
t;ors of railroads the employees were
disloval and inefficient. NO large
yrouo of American citizens has ever
bsen subjected to a more bitter ana
uniust campaign OF abuse than mas
been endured by the 2,O0O,OOo raIlroau
workers. ~
Railroad Administration has gwen
voluntary tribute to the loyal and Ell
ciert services Of these workers, COM
nletelv refuting the charges and IN
situations uttered against them.
II is. therefore, proper to inquire
into the conduct of railroad officials,
10 determine whether they, too, were
loval 10 the Government during It's
greatest emergency, and gave the
Same generous, efficient service coil
tributed by the workers 10 the VIM
ming of the war.
In simple justice it should be stat
cd at the outset that a majority o.
railroad officers measured up 10
their FULL responsibility and obEga-
tion. The value of the services they
rendered has been fully attested by
former officials OF the Railroad Adj
ministration.
1t is equally true that some off
cials-usually those most highly
placed-were neither loyal nor etti-
cient, in support Of which statement
there is available abundant testi-
mony.
Testifying before the Senate Com
mittce on Interstate Commerce, FEB
,uary l, 1922, William Gibbs Nc
Adoo, director general of railroads
during the first year of Federal CON
troll, after paying tribute to the 10Y"
atty of railroad workers, declared;
Cd That some prominent railroad
officials did not or would not render
loval and efficient service and were
subsequently, removed from manage
ment.
CD That the offending officials
failed to maintain average earnings
for their corporations, thereby III
curing heavy deficits that were met
by the Government.
CD That had these faithleSs OIL
Gals performed their full duty whlIe
they were entrusted with railroad
management there would not have
been a deficit during the iirst year oil
Federal operation.
CD That payrOlls were padded,
thereby imposing an unjust and I'M
necessary burden upon the Govern
ment of hundreds of millions Oh dol
lars.
"For nearly five months, MI. Nc
Adoo said, "the full power of the Gov
eminent was put behind these corpo-
rationS. These executives were backed
to the limit in what they. and the Kali
road War Board, had declared neceS-
sary TO operate the railroads success
fully.
"The conditions on the Ponusylva-
MIA. the Baltimore and Ohio, the Read
ing. and the Central Railroad of New
Jersey were so unsatisfactory because
of the congestion on these lines and
their failure to produce the requisite
amount of transportation, IN erect
paralyzinC transportation all over the
eastern territroy, that l became cons
WINGED that the arrangements jcefc
not CWcicHt.
On the 18th of January, 1918, Mr..
McAdoo addressed letters to the pres
idents of these railroads, IN which ne
stated frankly as we were IN the
midst of great war, the public inter
est and the life Of the nation demand
ed that these railroads should be OPP
Grated efficiently and that excuses
were worth nothing.
Unless there was an Immediate de-
cided improvement, Mr.. McAdoo
warned these presidents, 1t would be
necessary to make change IN the
management Of these properties.
In his letter TO President Rca, OF the
Pennsylvania, Mr.. McAdoo said;
81 would not be candid II l did not
tell YOU that l am not fully satisfied
with he efficiency of the management
of the Pennsylvania Railroad. / be
lieve that great improvement can be
made, and l look 20 YOU and the OIL
GERS of that system to bring that nm
provcment about at the earliest posi-
bic moment. l would not
be frank If ] did not tell YOU that
pHicS sthcrc is decided improvement
in the efficiency of the Pennsylvania
system . change in the management
will become inevitable
Mr.. McAdoo issued similar warning
to President Willard, of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, under date OF
January Il, saying:
Il would be less than candid n !
did not tell you that ] am dissatisfied
with the management of the Baitl-
more and Ohio. taNt 't has pr0ceH
8cIicicat and uacqHol 90 the present
situation I am sur cit can be I'M
proved. and i expect Improvement. l
speak thus frankly because / feel that
you ought TO know that a change IN
the management OF the Baltimore and
Ohio r. IL Will be inevitable unless
better results are speedily obtained.
In a letter 90 A. 7. Dice, president
of the Philadelphia and Reading Rail
road, dated January l9, 1918, Mir. Nc
Ado0 said;
Il am not q. aN satisfied with condi-
tiouS on the Philadelphia and Reading
Railroad From the reports get 1t Is
not measuring up 20 the demands o.
the situation. This appears TO be du'
TO q lack OF efficient management.
Il would nov be candid # I did no
tell YOU tina, unless there Is q promp
improvement IN operating conditions
. ..b,,.r, ia rho ,,,ar.r9r,e,,t will Lo