The accidents and delays which have been conspicuous on the
Western Railway in France since it was taken over by the State two years ago have caused a reconstruction of the management which is explained in the Times of Monday. The Paris correspondent says that the Director of the State Railways Department in the Ministry of Public Works has been superseded, and the old system has been revived, under which there are to be three assistant directors with real responsibility, instead of a dozen subordinate superintendents. The need to repair the defects in this experiment in State ownership was evidently felt to be urgent, as the appointment of the new Director—a man who has worked his way up from the ranks through sheer ability—was no sooner announced than he appeared at St. Lazare Station and took up his duties. The correspondent says that these drastic reforms in the management will be followed by various reforms in the working of the services : " efforts are to be made to inspire all members of the staff with a greater sense of discipline, and to secure punctuality by methods which will be more compatible with the public safety." The " Government stroke" is not a good basis for railway management.
Previous page
