The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1919-09-06
RAILWAY LABOR
MOVE ASSAILED
New York World, Strong Wilson
Supporter, Denounces "RevoIu-
ton by UItimatum."
PARALLEL TO RUSSIAN IDEA.
Calls Railroad orotherhoods' Plan for
Government Ownership "Soviet
Economics Venture"

Government Ownership "Soviet
Economics Venture"
New York.-The New York World,
In a leading editorial characterizes
the railroad labor plan for Government
ownership Of railroads as "a straight.
out adventure into Soviet economics"
The editorial page Of the World has
long had a national reputation for un-
deviating support of Democratic prin-
ciples, hostility to Wall street, and the
most loyal and vigorous assistance to
President Wilson. The World says:
revolution by UitImatum."
The plan Of the railroad brother
hoods for taking over the railroad
properties Of the country Is straight
out adventure into Soviet economics.
1t contemplates collective ownership,
but class operation and control, which
is at the foupdation of the Soviet sys-
TEN.
The American people. through their
Government, are to buy the railroads
from the private owners and turn these
properties over to the railroad en-
ployees to manage and operate. In
consideration Of an investment of ap-
proximately $4,000, 100000 the Gov
eminent is to appoint one-third Of the
directors, and the public Ii to share
in such savings in the cost Of opera
ton as may remain after the en-
ployees have paid themselves what
they think their services ought to be
worth.
The spirit in which the program is
put forth may be inferred from state
ment made by B. N. Jewell. acting
president Of the railroad employees
department of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor, in which he said that II
President Wilson's suggestion to Con-
gress was carried out I'VE win tie up
the railroads so tight that they win
never run again IL that legislation IL
passed" 1t might have been Trotzky
himself speaking to a bourgeoise that
had offered mild and academic objec-
lions to being despoiled.
Who 10 the Government
Before any railroad plan can be
worked out one highly essential fact
must be stablished-namely, whether
the sovereign power Of the United
States IL vested in Government and in
the American people or whether 1t Ii
vested in the railroad brotherhoods.
For three years now the brother
hoods have assumed that the sovereign
power was vested in them, and Con-
gress has provided them with excel
lent reasons for that assumption.
When the railroad employees in the
critical period Of the summer of 1916
demanded an eight-hour day ,and
threatened a general strike. President
Wilson sent a message to Congress in
which he urged that the eight-hour
day be made the basis Of work and
wages, but he made four other pro-
posals, one Of which called for
IAN amendment to the existing Fed
eral statute which provides for the
mediation, conciliation and arbitration
Of such controversies as the present
by adding to 1t provision that In
case the methods Of accommodation
now provided for sheuld fail, a full
public investigation Of the merits Of
every such dispute should be institut-
ed and completed before a strike or
lockout may be lawfully attempted"
Try to. lntImIdats Congress.
Congress refused to enact this legis-
lation because the labor leaders OBJ
jected to 1t. and now we have a situa-
ton in which labor leader can threat
en- to ''tie up the railroads 50 tight that
they will never run again" IL Congress
presumes to pass an act to which the.
brotherhood autocracy objects as un-
equal to Its imperative demands.
The railroad brotherhoods have en-
barked upon a policy that even the
most conservative Of them must admit
IL economically revolutionary. II their
scheme Of naturalization under class
control is to be carried out In respect
to railroads, nobody can draw the line
where 1t shall stop until all industry
IL under Soviet direction. Yet they
are not putting their program out as q
matter to be discussed and deliberate
ly considered BY the American people.
They are trying to force the issue and
bring about revolution BY ultima
tum.
The Public Pays.