New-York tribune., 1919-08-13

Hartford, and the Pennsylvania Rail
road.
~ charge that during the same periot
ating in all parts Of the United States
as whole gave away stock bonuses
aggregating $3.50. 900.
81 charge that these railroads, which
have so increased their property in
vestment account at the expense ot
the public and have so profitcd by land
grants, the value of which is to large
extent reflected in their property in
vestmcnt accounts, are now controlled
IN whole or in part by the Morgan in
terests, the Rockefeller interests and
the Gould interests that this control
is made manifest by the intcrIockine
dlrcctoratcs Of the financial institu-
tons directed by these interests, who
through their directories control the
operations Of these railroads; and
VII. say that we have available com
pletc charts showing the intcrlocklng
dlrectorates and financial interests SO
represented, which we shall be glad to
present to a proper Investigating body
Charges Political Conspiracy
81 charge that these three interests
situated in New York and operating
through Wall Street. are necessarily
aware of this enormous imitation of the
property Investment accounts Of the
railways which they control, and are
seeking now to have returned to their
possession; that in the attempt of
these interests to secure the adoption
of any plan whereby the property in
vestment accounts of these railways
shall be recognized by law as the pasis
for rate making they are conducting a
political conspiracy to procure from
this government a valuation of all of
the illegal acts heretofore consum-
mated by these railroad corporations
and to make into Il binding obligation
upon the public the exploitation
through which these public highways
have passed under their direction and
control.
"On behalf Of all of the employees
of these systems OF transportation and
public We demand that Congress shall
made due and thorough investiga-
ton of the charges herein set forth
so that the American people may know
to what extent it is sought to sub
ject them to exploitation under the
plans proposed to his committee of
Congress, plans which would make law
full the fixing OF rates based on the
now unlawful aggregate property in
vestment accounts Of these systems.
Feudalism of Privilege
"This demand made upon Congress
Is the last desperate and suicidal act
of a fcudalism based on privileges. 1t
is the pervcrsion OF these privileges
that has created the machinery for
piling up the ever-increasing cost of
public service. For this perversion
the private control of the transporta-
tion business exists. The sole purpose
OF continuing the present system is
TO assist it in constantly increasing
the cost of living. This demand alone
confcsscs the failure of the system
to meet the end for which it was Gre
ated-the service of the public
A. B. Garretson. former head Of the
Order of Railway Conductors, told the
committee that operating officials in
charge OF railroads during govern
ment control were actuated by the one
desire of demonstrating that govern
ment ownership was not best for the
country.
EXACTLY the same operating force
that built Of great surplus before the
war created this big deficit Garretson
said.
Could Be No Real Test
"There could be no real test as to
government operation so long as the
been determined. Every effort was
made TO convince the people that pri-
Vate management was best
When the railroad official prays he
turns his face to Wall Street, but once
1t is demonstrated, for instance, that
management in future will centre in
Washington am sure he will serve
the government as earnestly as he
served the old masters in the past"
Discussing the Plumb plan for tri-
partitc control of the roads, Mr. Gar
retson said it "uttcrly demolished cap
ital account. while the other plans sub
mitted to Congress added to it until
the grandchildren OF the present gen
Grafton would stagger under the load"
When Representative Sims, Tennes-
see. who started out to question Mr.
Garretson, had concluded fifteen min-
ute ~suatemcnt, the witness turned to
him and said:
Judge, I'm much obliged to you for
appearing on our side
The Court of Last Resort
The board OF directors, under the
Plumb plan, Mr.. Garretson said, would
be the court OF last resort in determine
ing wages, but the right OF employees
But he explained, the employees
would be partners in the enterprise
If the wage board which would hear
wage disputes refused to grant IN
crcases it would pledge a large per
ccntage OF employees TO rcIuse 1t. SO.
if a body OF employees went on strike,
they would find a large employe ee-
ment who felt their own rights had
been invaded and injured and who
would stick
lit will be a long time before you
eliminate strife from industry"
Mr.. Garretson was asked if the
brotherhoods had any other Legislation
in mind in event the Plumb plan was
rejected:
'I don't think So" he replied. "Rail-
way employees and citizens are CON
cerned in the cost of living. Anything
that settles that problem insurcs to
their benefit The Plumb plan is only
one factor in that direction have no
knowledge of any other employe pro
posal."
Il don't believe we have reached that
point Representative Watson, Re
publican, Pennsylvania. said, where
we Will give up individualsm for ma
tlonalization.'
Nothing has been offered to Con-
grcss.' Garetson replied, that would
accentuate individualism so much as
this Plumb plan. Ii offers every in
ducement to individual succcss.'
DO you think the people want the
Plumb plano asked Representative