Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-08-07
SETTLEMENT At
ONCE ON WAGES
RAILR0ADERS ASK
Heads of Brotherhoods and
Other Railway Bodies Ex-
plain to Congress Their
Solution of Trouble.

| Continued From Page One.)
on the passage of the Adamson
act.
The present situation was said to
be similar, but infinitely more dan
gerous. Not only are the four
brotherhoods involved, but all the
other unions also which have to deal
with maintenance of equipment and
the moving of trains.
Entitled to Compensation.
The program submitted to Direc-
tor General Hines declared that the
employees were entitled to compen-
sation which would at least re-estab-
fish the prewar purchasing power
of their wage. Rates of pay, it was
said, were in no way correlated to
transportation charges. The plan
for a congressional commission was
disapproved because "it means
months of delay at time when the
questions involved require imme-
diate settlement" the program said,
continuing:
you already have in the board of
railroad wages and working condi-
tons the necessary machinery to
dispose of these questions and we
ask that their function be restored
and that their findings be placed
before the representatives of the rec
ognized organizations for their con-
sideration and be mutually agreed
upon before being issued.
Want An Appropriation.
"The moneys with which to pay
these increases should, in our opin-
ion, be raised by an appropriation by
congress. This appropriation to be
OF sufficient amount to temporarily
take care of immediate deficits. In
the meantime let the proper rate
making body make careful study
as to what, if any, increases should
be made in passenger and freight
rates, prompt action in this regard
being both essential and desirable
This will only give temporary re-
lief and must be accompanied or
Immediately followed by deter
mined united effort to not only
prevent further increase in
the cost of living, but to secure a
reduction thereon.
ANY permanent solution of the
railroad problem must necessarily
remove the element of returns to
capital as the sole purpose of opera
ton. Therefore, we ask that you
urge upon the president the neces-
sity for the prompt passage by con-
gress of the required appropriation
bill to meet the emergency now ex-
isting."
Presented to Congress.
Organized labor's remedy for the
high cost of living-a bill that would
turn over the railroads to the pub
lie, operating officials and labor
was presented to congress today by
men high in the council of the or
ganization who declared with u.
most frankness conditions were SO
desperate it might be necessary to
advocate firing squad for prof
| iteers.
With equal frankness members Of
nttee indicated during the exami
nation of Warren S. Stone. grand
chief of the Brotherhood of Railway
Locomotive Engineers. and Frank
| Morrison, secretary of the American
Federation of Labor, that the bill
| embodyiing what has come to be
known as the Plumb plan. was too
radical and failed to strike at the
high price evil against which people
throughout the country are clamor
| ing.
For more than a month the house
committee has been considering all
plans for solution Of the problems
confronting the roads with their re-
turn to private management, and
the Plumb proposal was offered with
the assurance of labor leaders that
it would cut down prices of COM
modities because of the reduction in
rates which would follow the elimi-
nation of private capital from the
railroad companies.
Answer Many Questions.
The two union officials for five
hours stood up in defense of the bill
and answered a whirlwind fire of
questions from men who must re-
port it out or throw it away. Dur
ing the long discussion attended by
an attentive audience including
many women. the labor leaders
made strong denial of reports that
they were attempting to intimidate
congress by threats to strike or chop
off the political heads of members
voting contrary to their desires.
There was a broad intimation that
the public ownership plan if not
enacted into law would be taken to
the convention of the two big par
ties next year with the hope of hav-
ing it's endorsement written into the
platform.
Warning was sounded by Secre-
tary Morrison that the burden OF
the leaders might be too heavy
that they might be unable during
their period of unrest to control the
workers--in which case. he declared,
there would be a revolution TO the
extent of general strikes. Around
the whole theme of what the two
witnesses said was woven the ever
rising cost of food. mounting higher
and faster, they insisted, than the
increase in the workingman's wage,
with no assurance that it would
stop unless quick and drastic action