And so I might go on detailing the various accidents that have
occurred from the carelessness of employees, but I believe I have
enumerated enough of them to illustrate the point I wish to make; that
is, the employee is too careless, thoughtless and negligent; and I
hope also to demonstrate that the larger part of them could be avoided
and that a united effort should be made by all to prevent them in the
future. It does not require any argument to prove that the many
accidents occurring every day, and the resulting injuries and
destruction of property, ought to be reduced, and that, if the rules
were complied with and proper care and supervision exercised in
transacting the business of the companies, their number and consequent
money loss would be materially reduced; and it is up to the employees
to do their share to bring about this necessary result. Railroads that
advertise that they have the best of everything--including men--that
have spent not thousands but millions for safety devices and
appliances, as many of the lines have, ought to be able to make a
better record; and I believe when the employees really understand the
matter such roads will be where they belong--at the head of the
procession, not only so far as freedom from accident is concerned, but
in everything else.
Blackstone, in his Commentaries on the Common Law of England, said
that the great beauty of the common law was that under it "there was
no wrong without a remedy," and so I say that there must be some
remedy which, if properly applied, would prevent the happening of a
large proportion of these casualties; and I suppose that the man who
says there is a wrong or criticises results ought to be able to
suggest some remedy which will sound plausible, even if it is not
practicable.
In addition to the suggestions which I have made in discussing the
different classes of accidents herein mentioned, there are several
others which, in a general way, I submit.
The most necessary thing in securing good results and as few
casualties as possible is to hire good, competent, careful and sober
men to do the work, and when the railroads have bureaus of employment
properly conducted to secure the best men and schools in which to
instruct them as to the rules under which railroads are operated, what
their duties are, and how to perform them, in conjunction with the
physical examination of applicants for employment they will have taken
the most important step to do away with accidents; and when they clear
their roundhouses, repair yards, coal stations, gate houses and all
other branches of the service connected with the transportation of
persons and property of men with whom neither other employees nor the
public can communicate because of their inability to understand or
talk the English language, they will have taken the next one.
When labor organizations and employees generally do what they can to
keep incompetent, careless men out of the service, not in it, and when
they are discovered in some careless act, or cause some accident, and
are discharged or suspended, instead of trying, through the influence
and power of their organization, to have the discharge or suspension
set aside, do all they can to sustain the order of suspension or
discharge, we will not have the list of casualties staring us in the
face that we do now, and the organizations will not have so many
crippled members asking for assistance, and the proportion of
employees killed and injured to the whole number won't be 36 and 80
per cent respectively.
Employees should read the newspapers, railroad as well as brotherhood,
so that they will get some of the theory of the business to fit them
for a better place. Familiarize yourselves with the advertisements of
the company, train schedules, maps, names of the officers and where
they are located, so that you can answer questions of patrons and
others. Treat everybody politely and decently, as by your conduct and
manners the corporation and management will be judged. Take advantage
of what others have learned by the greatest of all teachers--EXPERIENCE.
After getting good competent men we need good track and equipment and
sufficient and intelligent inspection to see that not only the track
and equipment are kept in good repair, but also that the men keep in
good physical and mental condition.
A method of inspection and repair by which the man who inspects will
be required to have some mechanical experience, who can talk and
understand English and comprehend what the result will be if he fails
to discover defects and have them remedied, and who will report, not
to a foreman whose duty it is to repair the defect, but to a superior
whose business it is to find them. This is the sort of inspection
necessary to prevent injury and loss. And when we do this the record
will be different.
Then we want good rules and instructions (the fewer and simpler the
better) telling how the trains shall be run and the business of the
companies conducted, and if it is true that one of the worst evils
from which our country is now suffering is the failure to enforce all
the laws on the statute books, I am afraid the same saying will apply
to the operation of railroads. Too many rules, orders and bulletins
are disregarded by employees, and that disregard not discovered or is
overlooked until some accident occurs. If there are any rules that are
impracticable they should be cancelled, but until they are their
observance by officers and employees should be insisted upon. The
quickest and best way to get a bad rule or law cancelled or repealed
is to enforce it.
And last but not least, we want sufficient and efficient supervision.
Poor Richard, the philosopher, never said a truer thing than that
"_The eyes of the master will do more work than both his hands_."
And as the business of a railroad increases and grows more complicated
every day, it requires more and better, and not less, supervision. If
the number of employees and the tonnage of trains increase fivefold,
so should the supervision increase, in order that the business be
conducted in accordance with the rules and that safe and economical
operation be secured, and there should always be enough supervision to
obtain this necessary result.
After we get the men, the track, the equipment, rules and supervision,
we should see that all employees know and understand the rules and
their duties and how to perform them. Some day we will have a training
school for this purpose, just as the government has for its soldiers
and sailors, and many municipalities for their police. Employees
should study and familiarize themselves with the time-tables and
rules, the same as they do with their pay schedule--they all
understand that. The rules were made by men who have come from the
ranks, who know from actual experience what the failure to observe
them means to passengers, to yourselves, and the companies, and if you
don't understand them, have someone who does explain them to you until
you know them by heart and exactly what they mean, and when you have
done this, comply with them and things will go better; there will then
be few accidents, suspensions and discharges.
Do the company's business the same as you would your own. If the time
ever comes when you are unwilling to do this, quit. Think before you
act, not afterwards, as then it will be too late. And remember that
other lives, perhaps that some one near and dear to you, may depend
upon your acting and doing immediately, and not to-morrow, the right
thing and in the prescribed way.
Make it your first duty to protect the lives and property entrusted to
your company, as well as the lives of those crossing over its tracks
and those of your fellow employees, then will come to you not only the
knowledge of duty performed, but promotion in position and increase in
salary. That is why your president, general manager, and the whole
push are where they are now, instead of working in the ranks.
Never go out without sufficient rest. Don't try to get in too many
miles or hours for the pay there is in it, as you may get hurt or
killed doing so, or injure some one else.
When an order is given you in writing, or verbally, if you don't
understand it, ascertain exactly what it means before you undertake to
execute it, and if you understand what is wanted, but don't know how
to do the thing, find out from someone who does before, not after, you
have made a mistake, as it will take you less time to learn to do it
right than it will to explain why you did it wrong, and by so doing
you may prevent yourself or someone else getting hurt.
With additional care on your part and that of your fellow workers,
together with more and better supervision, based on the theory that it
is equally as important to see that rules and orders are observed as
it is to issue them, that MEN are more important in the running of a
railroad than _things_, accidents and consequent losses will, I
believe, be reduced one-half.