The sun., 1919-08-14
URGED TO END
RAILROAD STRIKES
Manufacturers Declare Plumb
Plan Opens the Way to
Soviet Control.
ISSUE UP TO CONSREss
Head Of National Association
Tells House COMMITTEES to
Protect Public.
spscinl pespateA 10 Tn. sss.

WARRINGTON, Aug. 1S.-FeScrpl laws
20 prevent strikes and lockouts IN the
railroads OF the country were asked OF
Congress to-day by Stephen C. Mason,
president of the National Association OF
Manufacturers, in n statement sub
mitted to the House Interstate and For
eiEn Commerce Commirlss. Represent
ing 500 firms and corporations. Mr..
Mason said his association Is opposed
70 the Plumb plan for naturalization OF
the railroads.
TT Is the first step through the gate
way OF State socialism to the operation
Of transportation and industry under
Soviet control" tho statement said after
pointing out defects In the labor pro-
grAmme. Strikes and iockouts should
be prevented by compulsory arbitration
by a commission appointed by tho resi-
dent, the association asserted. This
II provided for In the law. but
has not been generally used. II was eaid,
TT Is the duty Of Congress-" Mr..
Mason maintained. now to exert Its
full authority to define in the interest
Of the public the limits to which en-
players or employees. capital or labor
may go In threatening the facilities of
commerce as a means Of compelling ac-
ceptance OF economic demands or polit-
icni policies"
should Return the Roads.
iMr. Mason asserted the belief Of the
association that the railroads should be
retur1.d to their owners; that Con-
grrsf during Government administration
sifoolh provide adequately for upkeep.
betterment and expansion that the rule
of rate making shoul be clearly defined
by statute that consolidation and coop
GRAFTON among lines be authorized In
the same manner as under present OPP
eration and administration that the
duties n functions Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission be modified. and
q transportation board be established.
EVERY argument Mr.. Mason said,
that is or can be made in principle
for Government ownership of the rail-
roads under thinly disguised control of
the organized employees Is equally ap-
piicable and will he made alike to Gov
nmen ownership and operation Of the
telephone, telegraph and merchant ma
rine. 1t opo a speculative expert
. at colossal expense In an hour
when the nation ~staggers under the bur-
den Of unprecedented debt. No plan
could be devised that would more GER
tainly demoralize the business structure
of the nation. jeopardiEe savings of the
Industrious or more certainly increase
cost of sustaining life of every human
being In the nation.
I'VE venture to assert the necessity
OF relieving national communication OF
the fear Of deliberate interruption.
Communication Is almost civilization,
The interdependence created among In
dfvfduals and communities makes the
uninterrupted movement Of t~ransporta-
tion In every form essential TO the main
tenance of social life.
7.
Must Protect the Public.
THE right of employer or employee
Of organized capital or organized labor
to combine to act In concert Is subor.
dinate in every form Of association tc
the paramount interest OF the public ir
the uninterrupted service of the essen
tiai facilities of communication
."Congress must either now assure pro-
tectlon of the paramount interest of tho
public IN the continued operation of tn,
railroads or abdicate its regulatory au'
thority to selfish and irresponsible com
binations Of private persons. The tim,
has come when not only the entir,
strength of the nation may be used, bu'
should b. used to enforce in any par
OF the land the full free movement o.
commerce between the States and tn,
free exercise of the judgment OF tn,
psopis's representatives. un;ntimidated b,
the threat of ~paralyzed transportation
TT should be provided as authorized
by the decision Of the United Statei
Supreme Court in sustaining the Adam,
son eight hour law. that whenever
labor dispute threatens the operation o.
an fundamentally Of interstate com
munication the President shall appoint {
commission which shall write a contrac
for the parties. to remain in force unit
they shall voluntarily agree between
themselves. thus retaining to both parties
their freedom of contract subject onl,
to the paramount interest of the publ
In the continued operation of the rail
way service.
Not n Question of O~wnerahip.
"such proposals merely bring EN-
phAtically to the attention of the publ
and possible disputants the limits whicl
the paramount right of social self-de
fonce has long placed on the activity o
combinations.
1--WE do not deem II necessary /
argue the respective merits of public o
private ownership. The great system o
transportation which we enjoy is tn
fruit of private initiative and enterprise
The abuses and evils incidental to It
growth have yielded to a steadily in
oeasing extent of control. but our ideal
and principles are not favorable to tn
public operation OF private enterprise
especially In any competition betweel
the Gov3nment and its W citizens.
PIT Is moreover seriously doubtful
whether our organic law. which make
the public authority a regulator Of com
merce. authorizes 1t to conduct a bust
ness operation save under the pressur
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