The sun., 1919-08-08
ROADSLOOTED,
PUBLIC ROBBED,
PLUMB CHARGES
Private Owners Plundered
All Lines by Wall Street
Direction, He Says.
WARNS OF REVOLT SOON
Adoption of Labor Plan Called
Only Action to Prevent
Revolution.
WARNS OF REVOLT SOON
specio, Despatch TO THE sus.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7.-Organized Ia
Dor to-day informed Congress it would
shortly reveal "a systematized plum
dering OF virtually all Of the public
transportation highways OF the United
States" as a part OF its programme
to force government ownership Of the
railroads of the country.
Complete facts to substantiate
this wrecking &nd looting of the rail-
roads for private benefit" will be sub
mitted, Glenn e. Plumb. author Of
labor's Government ownership bill,
promised the House Interstate and
Foreign Commerce Committee.
II plan to make definite and spe-
cific charges" he told the committee
giving all names and the amounts
received through this plundering. The
facts only recently came before the
brotherhoods and we demand Con-
gressional investigation.
These facts tend to show that the
wrecking and looting Of the New York
New Haven and Hartford, the Chi
cago and Alton. the Rock Island and
Frisco lines are not sporadic exam
pies Of the highway robbery to whicf
the American nation has been sub
jected as to its public transportation
highways which has come directly
from Wall Street and from the bank
ing houses controlled directly by the
Morgan and Rockefeller groups"
Labor Outlines Campaign.
Mr.. Phmb's charges. with other an
nouncements. were the outstanding de-
fvelopments of labor's campaign to forc'
approval Of its plans. These were:
Statements by Mr.. Plumb that unless
his plan Is adopted a spontaneous revo'
luton may develop in sixty or ninety
days despite all efforts of labor officials
to prevent strikes and disturbances
The assertion that labor favors pay
ing only about two-thirds Of the pai
value of all railroad stocks and bonds
should the Government buy the lines
The calling OF a conference by labor
officials of national figures friendly tt
organized labor for the purpose of dis
cussing railroad control and bringing
more pressure on Congress for the Gov
ernment ownership plan.
Senator CummiHs (Iowa). chairman
of the Interstate Commerce Committee
announced in the Senate that he 'haC
received a letter from Director-Genera
Hines admitting that the Railroad Ad
ministration had ample authority tc
consider and act on the present wag'
demands of railroad employees, includ
ing rate questions. but that the issuei
are considered so important that 1t wa,
felt that Congress should be considered
as to a policy In dealing with them.
The Senate Interstate Commerce Com
mittee chairman also wrote to the Presi
dent refusing TO act on his request for az
additional wage board to meet the pres
ent situation on the ground that Con
Administration ample authority to NEE
the situation.
Plumb Has New Facts.
During the week and since your hon
orable committee requested me to appear
to present the case OF organized labol
with respect to Its bill for public owner
ship and democracy In control of tn,
roads there has come into the possession
OF the railroad brotherhoods and tel
affiliated railway organizations OF tn,
American Federation OF Labor a stat
of facts never spread before the Amer
lean people or submlttedto the jury o
public opinion" said Mr.. Plumb.
1--WE believe that Congressional in
vestigation will reveal that not one rail
road system dominating any part OF tn,
254,000 miles OF railroad in the United
States but has suffered and Is sufferin,
! in degree II not to the same extent from
carefully deliberated manipulations o
the sort that have wrecked and ruined
the railroads I have mentioned.
"It will reveal with emphasis tn
truth Of the words recently uttered be
fore the bankers of Missouri by Eth,
Root Surely some provision must b.
made to prevent the continuance OF tn
steady progress toward bankruptcy o
| the railroads which characterized th
decade before the Government took pog
session in 1917 It will reveal tina
these interests are again gathering thei
! forces of private and secret control an,
seek. after having gained from Coagres
| sanction to rehabilitate their raiiroa,
properties at public expense. to begii
| again and follow through Its corrupt an,
wicked cycle the systematixed plunder
Continued on Tenth Poes.