Q. How many men are authorized to sign his name and initials?
Q. Then you do not regard this as an important matter?
A. Not as important as some others. That is a matter for which the superintendent of transportation is responsible. I look to him.
Q. Do you think every man charged with duties should be allowed to select his own type of organization and decide as to his own methods?
Q. Then why not let each conductor make his own train rules, and each station agent keep his own kind of accounts?
Q. Is it not a fact that on most American railroads six or eight clerks are signing the name or initials of the superintendent of transportation?
Q. Does not a similar condition exist in a smaller degree in most railway offices.
Q. Then who are running the offices, the officials or the clerks?
A. I always supposed the officials. You see we could not afford so many officials.
Q. Has it ever occurred to you that by having more officials you might get along with fewer clerks?
Q. Who sign for the train orders on your road?
Q. Have not conductors and operators been discharged for signing each other's names?
A. Yes, sir. We must maintain discipline. If the train orders are not respected, accidents will result.
Q. Then you have one policy for one class of employes, and allow your officials and clerks to be a law unto themselves?
A. Not exactly. As I said before we cannot afford so many officials.
Q. Whose initials are signed to your train orders?
A. Because it has always been that way on our road. It makes the order stronger.
Q. If initials make an order stronger, why not sign yours, or the president's, or God Almighty's?
Q. Then it is not ridiculous to sign the superintendent's initials when he is at home in bed?
A. No, that is different. We wish to emphasize the fact that the superintendent is in charge of the division.
Q. Then why not put the superintendent's photograph on all the orders? Would that strengthen him with the men?
Q. You have been talking about the superintendent; is he the same as the superintendent of motive power?
A. No, you do not quite understand. The superintendent has charge of a division and the superintendent of motive power, like the superintendent of transportation, has charge of a department.