Show RAILROAD TALKS o The policy of railroads to explain the transportation situation to the the public is a development of the p present i 1 century The late Edward H II Harri Harri- Harriman man made a distinct contribution to the cause of improved public relations when he directed that full fun publicity be given to railroad train accidents At about the same time a decision was made by railroad executives generally gen generally gen gen- en that thereafter the appearance before committees of the legislature with reference to railroad anti bills should be L. L handled by experienced operating operating operating op op- and traffic men who should the burden of preparing the defenses Accordingly there was established in nearl nearly every ery state a special committee on the relation of railway operation to legislation committee el although handicapped handicap handicap- ped by a lack of knowledge of legislative legislative legislative legis legis- procedure was enabled to bring to light the germane facts about the various bills and to oppose them with convincing truths and arguments This policy of frankness appealed to the legislature and the general pubic pub pub- ic and the have been signally successful It was recognized however that the time to present the facts about the railroads was not only during legisla legisla- la- la tive tire sessions but between sessions when people have hae more time to read and to listen and when no particular emergency exists Thus during the tho past twenty years much helpful literature literature literature liter liter- has been published and m many ny talks have been made by railroad men in all walks of life in an endeavor to inform the general public and railroad employees about transportation mat mat- In 1914 the railroads in Missouri Missour co conceived idea of paid ad ad ad- in a campaign to oppose a bill which if enacted would have havo increased the hazards of train opera opera opera- tion The results were so successful that the wisdom of the policy was firmly established and since then many railroads have made newspaper newspaper newspaper per advertising a permanent part of their informative programs Occasionally criticism is made that the should not undertake a work of the kind because it is propaganda propaganda propaganda pro When it is remembered that the roads previously were criticized criticized criticized for not taking the public into their confidence and explaining things which were generally generaDy misunderstood and when it is realized that the public cannot judge intelligently and farly if false and misleading statements are permitted to go unanswered the unfairness unfairness unfairness un un- fairness of the criticism becomes ap ap- ap- ap parent Our monthly talks contain information which the public needs to know wants to know and is entitled to know C. C R. R GRAY President Union Pacific System |