Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-08-12

| into congress unwilllngly. Only the
influence and power and request OF the
president OF the United States over got
us there. We went there in spite or
our own desire to settle question by
our own methods.
mo living representative or senator
ever heard demand from reprcsen-
tative OF one OF the brothcrhoods as
To what he should do, No coercion was
used on any member OF consress.
challenge any to question the correct
ness OF this statement"
Cooper Backs Up Statement.
Representative Cooper, Ohio, corrop-
grated Mr.. Garretson.
Il have dealt across the table with
the highest operating officials OF rail-
roads for thlrty-one years. continued
Mr.. GaFrStsorl. when an official told
mo he wouldn't DO thing. 1t wns
statement of fact. When | stated my
position. IL was threat. IL all depends
on who is talking.
The sporadic occurrences over the
country in the way of unauthorizs'
strikes are straws showing the wind.
| Nine-tenths of the efforts of labor lead
ers are given to sitting on the lid.
"It's All Up to Congress"
ut Is within the power of congress
to allay this, but II can't be done by
inaction. Don't get the idea that the
passage OF the Plumb bill rs going To
be more than one factor in stilling un-
| rest.
IF any man nurses the belief that
the American people will never rise In
protest against conditions under which
they work he had better hire somebody
to wake him up"
Mr.. Garretson indicated that he
would favor extending the natlonaliza-
ton idea even farther than as limited
by Mr. Plumb.
'1f bank clerks should want this
plan, what would you think OF 1t -
asked Representative Denison, Illinois
Bank Clerks Have Rights
"You have heard Mr.. Plumb define
the plans limitations" replied Mr..
Garretson. PERSONALLY. I believe there
isn't an industry on earth in which the
men who serve are not entitled 10 i've
heard in regard TO its conduct. II there
is any class that Is entitled to better
treatment, 1t Is the bank clerks.
The wholo question involved in the
high cost Of living IS, that every man
has a right to expect that those thines
which he must have shall come to
; him at a reasonable price above the
! cost OF production plus the cost of
transportation.
distribution is n question Of gov
ernmcnt and it is not right that there
should be any profit on the cost Of
distribution. Hence l believe national
ization of the railroads should lie
brought about"
Plumb Cites Stock Watering.
| Charges that eighteen representa-
tive railroads operating in all parts OF
the United States gave away stock
bonuses aggrcgatinE $3.50. Ala, 900 from
| 1900 to 1910 and have paid millions in
dividends on these bonuses We're made
before the house interstate commerce
committee by Glen +. Plumb, of Chi
cago, author of the Plumb plan for
tripartite. control of the roads.
Mr.. Plumb charged further. that
these railroads which have so increas-
| ed their property investment account
| at the expense of the public are now
/ controlled in1whole or in part by the
/ Moegan interests. the Rockefeller in
terests and the Gould interests
"On behalf of all the employees OF
/ these systems of transportation and
! the public" said Mr.. Plumb. I'VE, de-
| mand that congress shall make a thor
| Nrgh investigation of the charges here
in set forth so that the omerican pco-
| pie may know to what extent 1t is
sought to subject them to exploitation
under the plans proposed to this COM
mittee and ITO congress. plans which
would make lawful the fixing of rates
| based now on the unlawful investment
accounts of these system"
| Specifically, Mr.. Plumb charged that
the c.. 3. 6: O., the c.. M. e st. p. the
| c. & n. W., the Great Northern, the
Illinois Central and the Southern Pa
/ cific railroads gave away in bonuses
to stockholders more than S250,OOO,OO
in the ten year period mentioned and
that the actual dividend disbursement
on this excess capital in the year l9
alone amounted to more than SILL
i 0U.OUU.''
He also alleged thai the Pennsyl'
vania, B. e o.. n. Y, -. II. & Fl. r.
New York Central & Hudson Rivcl
railroads, Boston & Maine and the
| Delaware e Hudson issued new stoc-
"for s101 100000 less than its marke
value or gave away this great amount
in bonuses to stockholders" and thai
"the dividends paid on these fictitious
stock issues in 1913 amounted to ovcI
S4.317, 900"