The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-01
UNIONS TRY TO RULE
U.s., SAYS SHERMAN
A. +. Of L. and Rail Brother
hoods Seeking to Make Con-
gress Do Bidding.
PLUMB PLAN Is RIDDLED
Gompers's "Anticipated Revo-
luton" in Strike Decree,
Senator Warns.
PLUMB PLAN is RIDDLED

Asserting that tho American Fedora
ton of Labor and the heads of the
railway brotherhoods propose to govern
the United States and are now trying
to coerce Congress to do their bidding
Lawrence Y. Sherman, United States
Senator from Illinois. speaking to the
Traffic Club of New York at the Wal
dorf last night, treated the Plumb plan
to bombardment of epigrams and pic
tured some of the labor unions as hav-
ing already crossed the boundary line
of anarchy.
He said Samuel Gompers. IN stating
that he would not obey or advise his
organizations to obey law prohibiting
strikes, had declared himself above the
law and anticipated revolution"
Il cannot believe" the Senator added,
that organized labor as Il body is in
sympathy with such a declaration. II 1t
Is let the issue be Joined :; let it be
ascertained now whether a few mil
lion operating an essential industry or
carrier system may deliver law 10 the
remainder of the public.
Il cannot believe the great body of
OF their radical leaders. They will con-
tinue to be American citizens first and
union men next. They know where such
q scheme will place them. Merit, pro-
motions and reward for long and faith
full service will be supplanted by favorit-
ism through a coterie of autocra tic lead
ers operating under ironclad rlnes'
The members of the brotherhoods
Senator Sherman described as sufferi., q
under gag rule by reason of provisions
III their own regulations. These regula-
tons, he said, were framed to perpetuate
the rule of a few men who are in and
purpose to stay In control.
Opposition in brotherhood.
ANY local brotherhood or member
| no said, "is as effectively gagged as an
alien enemy under the Espionage Act
| OF Congress in the war with Germany
Let us hear no more from such leaders
( about speaking for all their member
| ship. II is well known a large mum
| Der of the brotherhood is opposed to
\ the whole legislative programme of gov
I eminent ownership advanced in Wash.
| ington.'
The topic Of the Senator from Illinois
was THE Labor Unions and the Gov.
eminent" He led up to it by saying
IL was time the nation quit chasing
] IDEALS" which were well enough in theii
places but poor substitutes for facts.
| I'VE are sufficiently supplied will
| stargazers" he said. I'VE now neeC
! good earthly guides, some who know
4 the difference between a safe trail and
emptiness lined with absurd hope. TIL,
| American people need now to come bacl
| to earth and her laws TO men and theil
! natures, to traffic and its necessities
| 1t is a problem of production first anC
! distribution next If we are to avoid
! the natural result of the present ten
deEcies there must be fewer men cru
! sa6ing about the country in flying all
ca stiles and fewer engaged in trying e
| get more than their commodities or ser
vices are worth. Money has ceased Il
be a medium of exchange of values. Il
! Is now merely a measure of eXtortion
Strikes, marking up values on paper
raising wages, pulling down the sue
cessfui and substituting failures, social
ism, democratizing industry by hoistinl
| into its management by law those VIII
have never been able to manage them
selves or anybody else Goyernmen
| ownership, which Is merely an applied
form of democratiZing industry. s.
happily demonstrated in railroads
these and kindred huTbugs do nothing
but eXempify the folly, avartce AM
chronic decisions affecting mankind a
usual.
There are too many persons now liv
ing of the same yard of cloth or bushe
of potatoes. We need more men Wit
hoes and fewer living on the man wit
the hoe. Everybody wants large in
come, not so much TO save any of 1t a
TO spend 1t all There is a distressin
lack of thrift in the whole countr,