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Show Jeffers Takes U. P. Post,' Succeeding Carl R. Gray j ,s "-- OMAHA, Neb, Oct 1 UV-William Martin Jeffers, at II a Union Pacific call boy, today became president of the road, upholding tha American tradition that no position la beyond the aspirations ! ths humbleet youngster. Son of a Union Pacific shop worker, work-er, the el-year-old executive never worked for another company, has spent ? years in the "service." He succseded Carl R Gray, who retired at 70 to become vice chairman of the board of directors. Ths first prssidsnt "from ths ranks" of ths Union Pacific will be feted tomorrow night at a mammoth mam-moth dinner here to be attended by an estimated 7100 employes snd their families from 11 states. Among those sttsnding will be Postmsster Genersl Jsmes A. Fsrley and W. A. Harriman, Union Pacific board chairman. 'Engineering' Dlecueeed "Bill" Jeffers, 'rotund and bald, with tha genial disposition usually sttributsd to msn of his build, sat today before his battered roll-top desk and talked about "human engineering." en-gineering." "I still think the cell boy Is pretty important." he said. And "Bill" Jeffers meant It, for he has never lost touch with the other men who work for Union Psciflc. In fact, he waa the organiser or-ganiser of the U. P. Old Timers' clubs, employes with 20 years' service, serv-ice, st whose social functions an official is just anothar smploys. "An official Is mors importsnt. perhsps, but. not more essential then ths msn in ths ranks," waa the way he put it. "Human engineering takes preference pref-erence In our considerations," he explained. "There is no substitute for contentment." Proud of Record Jeffers is proud of Union Pacific's Isbor relations record. Union Pacific Pa-cific men have struck when employes em-ployes of all railroads struck, but hs said: "There never has been a strike call by Union Pacific men and. In my judgment there never will be." Jeffers, who became executive WILLIAM M. JEFFERS I'p from ths ranks vies prssidsnt In 1NJ, Is proud of U. P.'s high-speed trains, care for women, but he credits the greatest part of these developments to ths system's personnel. "Bill" Jeffers keeps his contact with ths men. "After all." he said, "the only romance ro-mance left in railroading is ths contacts con-tacts with the men." |