Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1919-11-07
ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING
Hall Crowded to Hear Plumb Plan
Explained
(By John Bush)


last Friday night by H. S. Risley,
relative to the Plumb Plan and the
attitude and operations of the rail
road financiers, to an enthusiastic
crowd assembled in the large hall on
South Park Place.
The conditions were explained, by
facts and figures by this gentleman,
who through years of experience with
railroad activities and the Federal
Government, has acquired a vast
knowledge and compiled an immense
amount of data. If there were any
doubling Thomases in the beginning
there certainly were none at the
completion of the explanation.
The only disappointment expert
enced by those present was that no
representative of either of the two
daily papers of the city which are so
liberal with their space in publishing
articles contradictory to the facts
which have been made apparent by
the Federal Government investigators
were present, and it was the general
opinion that were these papers as
much interested in the general well
fare of the public as they pretend to
be they would endeavor to obtain and
publish the facts relative to this high
ly essential problem with which we
are confronted. The question nat
urally arises whether they care moth
ing for the welfare of the railroad
men of the city, who are the corner
stone of the substructure upon which
it's commercial prosperity is con-
structed, or whether it is because
they are merely a medium which can
only speak as dictated to by master
minds.
Mr.. Risley explained in detail many
of the facts with which the public is
not familiar, due to the press being
interlocked with the financial inter-
ests. Radiating from the financial
SCIItCIJ CIlC 1IlllliCllC6 VI w Oil
street extends through it's regional
banks to the small cities and ends at
the EDITORS desks of the village news
paper. He stated, and produced data
obtained from the Interstate Com
merce Commission in Washington, to
substantiate his accusations, that the
demand for a return of the railroads
to the private owners would cease in
stantly were there an effective law
making it a crime for officials of rail-
way corporations to participate in
supply contracts or to enjoy any
special opportunities by reason of
their official positions, with reason
able assurance of punishment being
imposed for violations. Railroad Of
ficials, he stated, on $1,000 a year
soon amass millions by selling sup
plies to the railways from their own
factories, and it is perfectly rational
assumption that some of those who
are spending vast sums of money in
an effort to discredit government
ownership and glorify private man
agement are more concerned that they
shall not be deprived of their graft
than that the public welfare shall be
conserved.
The government has not had fair
trial at operating the roads, they
have been for the most part operated
by the same old gang with Uncle
Sam paying the cost. When the war
board demanded a more proficient CO.
operation between the railway man
ayers and the government, the fnan-
ciers were quick to grasp the situa-
ton, inasmuch as they knew the
roads were in no condition to handle
the work before them; and knowing
it would take millions to put them in
proper condition to meet the demands
of the war board, they hurried to
Washington, threw up their hands and
quit like towards, saying "Uncle
Sam, here are the roads, you will
have to run them, we can't do it."
Millions had to be spent to repair
the roads of the nation in order to
get supplies to the sea coast, which
make apparent the fact that the
former managers had no thought of
the welfare of the public, but operated
the roads for profits exclusively.
The Plumb Plan he defined thus:
Paying owners $11 ,000,000,O00 to $751;
O0O,OOO,OOO; all surplus earnings go
to the government and to employees; ;
rates constantly falling; operation for
service, not profit; men will not strike
against themselves; union of interests
of wage earners, producers and con-
sumers; industrial democracy.
Mr.. Risley further stated that the
fnanciers and managers are putting
forth a concerted effort to have the
rates increased 20 per cent before the
roads are returned, in order to enable