Address of the Chairman of the Railway Board to Society of Engineers

Mr. F. J. Jones, who, besides being Chairman of the Railway Board is also President of the Society of Civil Engineers, made a notable contribution to the fund of thought on the vexed labour question in his Presidential Address at Dunedin.

“One of the greatest disturbing factors in the life of the world to-day,” he said, “is the eternal conflict between labour and capital. The loss of efficiency from strikes, lock-outs, and differences in view point between employers and employees is so staggering as to be almost incalculable.

“The question is one of particular interest to engineers because it is in the industrial life of the nation that their interests lie and the great advances in processes, manufactures, and in the means of transportation are largely due to the activities of the profession. The blame for the regrettable state of affairs that arises when labour troubles culminate in a crisis is cast on either side according to whether one belongs to the class of employers or employees, but a calm analysis of the position leads to the inevitable judgment that neither side is in the right.

“It is worth while considering whether engineers may not be able to throw some light on the situation by applying to the problem the same logical reasoning that they use when investigating the fundamental facts that govern their designs. The definition of the work of an engineer is given by the parent Society as being ‘the art of directing the great sources of power in nature for the use and convenience of man.’ All engineering science is based on natural laws. It is the business of the engineer when dealing with the great forces of nature to study the particular problem he has in hand, with a view to finding out what is the governing law and to define it by means of a mathematical formula. This may be termed the diagnosis. As in medicine, if the position can be accurately diagnosed the remedy is, to the man trained in the science of his profession, comparatively speaking, easy of application. The diagnosis involves the correct measurement of all the forces and variables that affect the matter bringing them to a resultant. As an example take the law governing the flow of water in rivers or open channels. An empirical formula such as Kutters is deduced, which endeavours to take into consideration and affix probable values to all the known variables such as slope, depth, area, roughness, etc. Any such empirical formula arrived at is not correct, but it may be a very fair approximation. We can be sure of one thing: that there is an exact law governing the flow of water could we ‘observingly distil it out.’ The point I wish to make is that all these natural forces—whether it be the flow of water, the weight of an engine on a bridge, the action of the tides, the voltage of an electric current, or the speed of a bullet—obey some definite law which can be expressed mathematically in terms of absolute correctness subject only to our limited knowledge.

“Of all the natural laws the one that appeals to me as being of primary importance is that known as Newton's Third Law of Motion. Action and reaction are equal and opposite. This law might well be termed the first law of nature, its application is so universal. We, as engineers, know the law as expressed in terms of physical science. In terms of moral science the same law was enunciated by St. Paul when he stated ‘Whatsoever a man soweth so shall he also reap.’

“Applying our engineering methods to the problem, we know there is no escaping the law; to get results we must work in conformity with it; and the law connotes that the first essential in dealing with our fellow men is clear abstract justice. When strikes and labour troubles occur, the fact itself is prima facie evidence of unjust dealings. The law that action and reaction are equal and opposite is unfailing. Take the case of Britain to-day with its doles and grants to industries—the quack nostrums of so-called expediency. Clearly the reaction from such specious methods will be proportionate to the amount of expediency used which does not conform to the law. Let me make myself perfectly clear. I am not preaching a sermon, but merely stating indubitable facts. The moral being that, if we keep constantly at the back of our mind the fundamental fact that action and reaction are equal and opposite, and endeavour to act in accordance with it, we will gradually clear up the labour situation by advancing from the abstract to the concrete in the way that all branches of science have advanced.

“The particular application of these remarks to the railway service is more in the nature of what is proposed than what has been accomplished. To get good service the human element must be watched and fostered and given every opportunity to assert its individuality on lines consistent with the well being of the whole service. With this end in view a system of training of staff is in hand and progress in the service will be in accordance with the merits of the case. For special ability, scholarships will be given to enable intensified training to be under taken in subjects germane to railway work. A Magazine to be devoted to the interests of the staff is well under way. This will be issued free to the staff and will cover all variety of interests, not only those appertaining to the service itself, but also to cultural training, musical and page 43 dramatic societies, sports, etc., with which members are concerned. The subject of discipline has also been considered in an endeavour to take a broader view than has been the case in the past. Many errors of judgment are made in the stress of a busy day even by the most competent man; it is intended that these men should be looked upon with leniency, the final object being to punish the guilty mind only…….