itration
proceedings.

The estimated number of men in Cleveland employed in these occupations
in 1915 is approximately 4,500. Of these about one-fourth are
switchmen and flagmen, one-fourth enginemen, one-fifth brakemen,
one-sixth conductors, and one-eighth firemen.

The requirements for entrance call for a high degree of physical
fitness. The applicant for employment must pass a severe examination
as to vision and hearing, and in addition furnish certain data as to
his family history, as it relates to insanity, tuberculosis, and
certain other diseases. The high standard maintained insures a type of
employees which for physical fitness, mental alertness, and ability to
handle difficult situations is unsurpassed in any industry.

Frequent examinations, which are compulsory, are the stepping stones
to the higher positions. In this way a brakeman qualifies for the
position of freight conductor, a freight conductor for that of
passenger conductor, and a fireman for a position as engineer.

Each of the two services, passenger and freight, has its advantages.
In the passenger service the working day is short, with little
overtime. Freight service requires a longer working day and a
considerable amount of overtime. Promotions in both services and from
one to the other are made on the basis of seniority.

Violation of the strict rules laid down for the operation of trains on
the part of employees may result in reprimand, suspension, or
dismissal, according to the gravity of the offense. The penalty of
suspension has practically superseded the others except in extreme
cases, such as drunkenness, theft, or other serious violations of the
rules, for which offenders are summarily dismissed. On some railroads,
a graded system of demerits is used. When an employee has received a
certain number of demerits he is dismissed from the service.

The railroad unions are among the strongest and most aggressive in the
country. The total union membership among train operating employees
alone in the country is approximately 350,000. The unions are all
modeled upon the same general plan. They are quite independent of each
other, keep strictly to their agreements and oppose the sympathetic
strike. They all maintain some form of life insurance. Four
organizations have underwritten over $500,000,000 of insurance and one
of them in a single year paid claims amounting to $1,135,000. The
influence of these unions has been particularly effective