Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-19
WOULD OPERATE
RAILROADS FOR
PUBLIC Benefit
Glenn z. Plumb Lays Plan for
Change in Transportation Sys.
TEN Before Tri-City Men.

ity OF expression marked the ad-
dress given by Glenn 2. Plumb last
night, when he explained most
sides Of the question reused by the
plan he Should there
be public ownership of all railroads
in the United StatesT His argu-
ments were convincing, and at
once won over the entire audience
Of 300.
A B. Garretson, president OF the
national organization of conduc-
tors was unable to be present for
his scheduled speech, as he wired
Mr.. Plumb yesterday that he was
called east on urgent business.
Just how the new plan contem-
plates putting the railroads into
the hands of the public, controlled
thEedgh certain boards. and how
tRe system Of financing plans to
Keep down rates while yet paying
operating expenses and realizing a
small profit to the government, and
how it differs from government
ownership, are all explained in the
following synopsis of the speech
given last night:
Organized labor has presented
to congress a plan providing for
the public ownership of railways
and democracy in the operation and
control of these public highways.
A proper understanding of this
plan requires an analysis of first,
the fundamental interests involved
in this industry: second, the eco
nomie conditions which now ex-
list: third, evils of the existing sys-
tenn; fourth. a correct analysis of
the property rights which have
\ been granted to the corporations
ogntng these highways.
ne plan itself which recognizes
the Quality of the fundamental in
terests involved, corrects the IN
natural economic condition which
now exists. limits the property
rights of the corporations to the
privileges which have actually
been granted, and establishes an
operating control in which the
public interest, the wage earning
interest, and the management have
equal authority and equal respons-
ibility This plan restores to indi-
viduals the rights guaranteed by
the constitution of the United
States and establishes in this in
dustry that equality of opportunity
which democracy alone can guar
antee.
Fundamental Interests.
There are three basic interests
in every industry: The first is the
interest of the public which we de-
fine as the demand of the public for
the products of that industry. 1t is
the need of society for those things
essential for its existence, which |
are produced alone by the organ i
lied. socialized, productive efforts
of those engaged in meeting this
social demand. Without the ex-
istence of this demand of society,
that industry could not exist, and
neither capital nor labor would
have provided for them that field
of investment for either the &C
cumulated savings of individuals or
the employment of human effort
Second is the interest of capi-sI
al. Capital is nothing but the I'M
expended surplus of human effort
which is available to- furnish the
tools for present human effort. 1t
is essential to organized industry
in that it furnishes the tools for
production without which the de-
mand Of society for the products
of industry and without which the
labor of human effort to work with
tools which capital furnishes, in
dustry could not exist
The third fundamental interest
is that of the wage Garner or proS
Queer in those industries which4
have been socialized and where
capital furnishes the tools for pro-
duction. The wage Garner repre- |
sents the human effort which must |
be applied to these tools and ma
terials before capital can risk its |
investment and secure it's returns |
and before the needs of society for |
the products of industry can be
satisfied.
These are the three fundament- |
al interests in industry. They are
human interests, each as essential |
10 the existence of industry as the |
oeAer, therefore, they are equal and |
mus have equal opportunity and |
protection.
Economic Conditions.
under the existing system, cap
ital has monopolized the control |
Nof industry. and in its monopoly, !
it has denied the public, that is So
ciety. any voice in the manage
ment of industry. 1t has likewise |
denied to labor as the producing |
element in industry, any voice in
management To protect its in !
harauf iuterpsfs labor has orQan-
lied and by it's demands has placed |
limitations upon capitalistic con-
troll of management. The public !!
has sought to protect its interest
by legislation imposing regulations