August 1957 page 2

NEWS AND VIEWS

The proper training of young men and women for greater re-
sponsibility has long been a matter of major concern to industry. Too
often this all-important matter has been neglected to such a point that
when management looks around for promotable material it can find none.
This sad state of affairs, which exists on the Piedmont and Northern as
well as in many other organizations, was given close scrutiny at the
P & N's mid-year staff meeting held in Greenville last month. In fact,
President Rankin used it as his prinicpal topic during the last day of
the conference.

* * * * *
Recently there was an opening as agent of one of our larger
stations. Although a thorough check was made in an effort to promote
a deserving employee, the management finally had to look outside of
the company for a qualified and willing replacement. Such a condition
underscores the importance of on-the-job training. As President Rankin
pointed out, the responsibility for proper training lies with those who
are in a supervisory capacity. They should exert every effort to pre-
pare employees in lesser positions for ultimate assumption of greater
authority and responsibility. The followers of today are the leaders
of tomorrow, and they should be given every opportunity and encourage-
ment to learn not only their own jobs but also the jobs above them.
That's the only way the P & N can assure itself of a reservoir of train-
ed personnel, ready to step up into responsible jobs.

* * * * *
The means of accomplishing this are simple enough, but they
have to be systematically pursued. First of all, people learn by exam-
ple. If the teacher is incompetent and sloppy, then what can be ex-
pected of the pupil? Secondly, mistakes should be corrected by explan-
ation, not be condemnation. A word of advice or encouragement is
worth ten times an angry rebuke. Thirdly, initiative and responsibility
should be encouraged day in and day out. It is a poor leader, indeed,
who sets himself up as the sole clearing house for ideas and decisions,
thereby relegating his followers to the status of unthinking pencil-
pushers. Fourthly, try being friendly and helpful instead of setting
yourself up as a hard-bitten overlord. If supervisors followed these
and other common-sense rules of leadership, they wouldn't have to worry
about their pupils taking their jobs. They would be on the way up
themselves.

* * * * *
Legislative bodies of fourteen states have now urged Congress
to repeal the excise taxes imposed on transportation during World War II.
Resolutions passed by these state legislatures have pointed out the in-
herent discrimination of the tax, which is imposed upon common-carrier
transportation, thereby lessening its ability to compete fairly. For
instance, the 3% tax on freight transportation must be paid by shippers
using common carrier transportation but is escaped altogether by those
using their own trucks or barges. South Carolina was among the states
which urged the repeal within recent months.