160 Presidential Addresses 



the constitution have been paid to disabled mem 

 bers and their beneficiaries. Over fifty per cent of 

 the amount paid was paid on account of accidents. 

 Gentlemen, that is a sufficient commentary upon the 

 kind of profession which is yours. You face death 

 and danger in time of peace, as in time of war the 

 men wearing Uncle Sam's uniform must face them. 



Your work is hard. Do you suppose I mention 

 that because I pity you? No; not a bit. I don't 

 pity any man who does hard work worth doing. I 

 admire him. I pity the creature who doesn't work, 

 at whichever end of the social scale he may regard 

 himself as being. The law of worthy work well 

 done is the law of successful American life. I be 

 lieve in play, too play, and play hard while you 

 play; but don't make the mistake of thinking that 

 that is the main thing. The work is what counts, 

 and if a man does his work well and it is worth 

 doing, then it matters but little in which line that 

 work is done; the man is a good American citizen. 

 If he does his work in slip-shod fashion, then no 

 matter what kind of work it is, he is a poor Ameri 

 can citizen. 



I speak to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire 

 men, but what I say applies to all railroad men 

 not only to the engineers who have served an 

 apprenticeship as firemen, to the conductors, who, 

 as a rule, have served an apprenticeship as brakemen, 

 but to all the men of all the organizations connected 

 with railroad work. I know you do not grudge my 

 saying that, through you, I am talking to all the 



