Page:Hine (1912) Letters from an old railway official.djvu/196

 greater politeness and consideration in official correspondence. Instead of the superintendent or trainmaster writing to a conductor, “Why did you delay No. 1 at Utopia when you pulled out a draw-bar on the main track on the 32nd?” why not say, “It is claimed that quicker work on your part would have avoided delay to No. 1 when your train pulled out a drawbar, etc.” This leaves it open to the man to explain or to let the matter go by default. The employe who lets too much go by default is soon well known to his officers and his cases will receive the special treatment they deserve. Some officials devote more time to the gnat-heel measure of explanations than to a broad analysis which will prevent future irregularities.

To some officials, papers on the desk are a nightmare. For the sake of a clean desk they will write unnecessary letters and pass the papers to the men below. The road will not go to pieces if many papers are held for a personal interview next trip. Because it is now and then desirable to force some old buck to go on record is no reason for not separating the sheep from the goats and avoiding the necessity for a record in a majority of cases. This