Document DM81Y97gaemo0M32aBebeqmzo

January 10 , 193$ Mr. John Schaefer Ethyl Gasoline Corporation P. 0* Boat 688 Penusgrove, H*J* Dear Mr* Schaefer8 Allow me to thank you for your various letters enclosing the reports on Mr. Waldron, One of us will look further into tho matter on our next visit to the plant. For the present it seems to me that things should go along as they are, .... In the aiatter of .the handling of * drums of Ethyl Fluid on ships in general and on oil tankers in particular, you arc quite right In assuming that my statement was of a general nature* What I attempted to point out was not. the specific detail of handling the drums but the necessity of so placing them as to avoid the contamination of cargo as well as parts of the ship which could not be readily reached and adequately cleaned* Ac you are only too well aware, it is quit impossible to set up a strict rule which is applicable to all circumstances* What I have chosen to do, therefore, is to rely upon the intel ligence of our own people in handling these problems in accordance with the circumstances* I do not trust the shipping people and X do not trust the oil companies* representatives* I do feel that in every instance of this sort a responsible repre sentative of the Corporation should take the res ponsibility* In a few situations he might find it possible to delegate his responsibility when he is dealing with intelligent people* This point, in my feeling, is a part of the personal responsibility of a Representative of the Corporation* By this X mean that it is up to his judgment as to whether he can trust their people,and b should be as cautious in the exercise of that judgment a! he is.in any other problem of safety. * In the matter of the two mechanics whom we have used in some experimental work at the Dayton Power and bight Company, I feel that it is best for H E . 0000756 N5566 \ i t 2 '* handle the matter which you brought tc my attention in accordance with their own judgment* I do not believe either of these men could be regarded as a skilled mechanic. On the other hand they are some what above the general type of laborer and their chief virtue consists in the fact that they are willing and capable of learning, and that they are entirely reliable in so far as my experience with them is concerned, lir. thirty years old and fir. thirty-six^^^ I should 15ke to have you understand that I am under no obligation to place dither of these men, since I took them on as experimental subjects when they were entirely unemployed, I merely wish to do what I can for.them in recognition of the fact that they have, been very faithful and appear to mo to he quite dependable fellows* Please accept my thanks for what you have attempted to do for them and we shall leave it to them as to what may he the outcome* Sincerely ypurs, RAKjIS Robert 'lr*^QhQQ^ M *D 0000757