Arizona republican., 1919-08-07
PUBLIC CONTROL IF RAILS T0O RADICAL
 SAY COMMISSIONERS
Presentation of Tri-Partite Plan of Operation Is Pre-
 sented to Congress-Does Not Strike at High Price Evil

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.-Organized labors remedy for the high cost of living, in a bill that would turn over the railroads to the publci, operating officials and labor-was presented to congress today by men high in the council of the organization, who de- clared with utmost frankness that conditions were so desperate it might be necessary to advocate firing squad for profiteers.
 With equal frankness, members of the house interstate commerce com mission recommended during the ex- animation of Warren Stone, grand chief of the Brotherhood of Railway Locomotive Engineers, and Frank Morrison, secretary of the Amercian Federation of Labor, that the bill, em- bodying 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 clamoring.
 Plan Too Radical
 For more than a month the house committee has been considering all plans for solution of the problems con- fronting the roads with their return to private management, and the Plumb proposal was offered with the assurance of labor leaders that it would cut down prices of commodities because of the reduction in rates which would follow the elimination of pri- vate capital from the railroad com panies.
 The two union officials for five hours stood up In defense of the bill, and answered whiriwind of questions from men who must report it out or throw it away. During the long dis cussion. attended by an attentive au = labor leaders made strong denial of | dience, including many women. Ire | reports that they were attempting to intimidate congress by threats to strike or chop off the political heads of members voting contrary to their de- sires.
 May Be Political Issue
 There was a broad intimation thai | the public ownership plan, is not en- acted into law, would be taken to the convention of the two big parties next year with the hope of having it's en- dorsement written into the platform
 Warnings were sounded by Secre- | tary Morrison that the burden of the leaders might be too heavy-that they might be unable, during ther iperiod o1 unrest, to control the workers, 1T which case, he declared, there would | be revolution to the next of genera 1 strikes. Around the whole theme o1 what the two witnesses said was wov- en the exercising price of food mounting higher and faster, they in sisted, than the increase in the work ing mans wages, with no assuranc, that it would stop unless quick ant drastic action was taken by congress
 Want Lasting Relief
 Roth MT. Stone and MT. Morrison said wage increases offered only tenn porary relief, contending that price of food and clothing must come down after which the wage demand pres sure would be lessened. They declared the pending bill would prove to be tn, first step toward forcing down price by reducing freight rates and ex pressed the belief that, despite tn burden of bond buying during the wa the American people would furnish tn funds necessary to take the roads iron private control.
 While the committee listened by tn hour to opinions as to what the bli would do, there was no explanation o it's various provisions. Glenn E Plumb, it's author, was present to giv this, but so much time was taken LII with the examination of Stone an, Morrison that his statement had to g, l over until tomorrow.