Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1919-08-27
R ILMAY LABOR
love kSSAiLED
New York World, Strong Wilson
Supporter, Denounces "Revolu-
ton by Ultimatum."
PARALLEL TO RUSSIAN IDEA.
Calls Railroad 5rotherhoods' Plan for
Government Ownership Soviet
Economies Venture"

New York.-The New York World
in leading editorial, characterize;
the railroad labor plan for Government
ownership of railroads as "a straight.
out adventure into Soviet economies. 81
The editorial page of the World has
long had 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 uItlmatum."
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 foundation 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, O0o, 900 the Gov
eminent is to appoint one-thlrd OF the
directors, and the public is 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. NJ. 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 eve will tie up
the railroads so tight that they will
never run again IL that legislation is
passed" 1t might have been Trotzky
himself speaking to bourgeoise that
had offered mild and academic objec-
tons to being despoiled.
Who Is the Government?
Before any railroad plan can be
worked out one highly essential fact
must be established-namely, whether
the sovereign power of the United
States is vested in Government and In
the American people or whether 1t is
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 general strike, President
Wilson sent message to Congress in
which he urged that the elght-hour
day be made the basis Of work and
wages. but he made four other pro-
posals. one of which called for
AN amendment TO the existing Fed
eral statute which provides for the
mediation, Cancellation and arbitration
of such controversies as the present
by adding to II a provision that in
case the9 methods OF accommodation
now provided for should 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 Intlmidate Congress.
Congress refused to enact this legis.
lation because the labor leaders OBJ
/ jected to II, and now we have a situa.
ton in which labor leader can threat
EN- to ''tie up the railroads so tight that
they will never run again" II Congress
| presumes to pass an act to which the
brotherhood autocracy objects as un
equal to It's imperative demands.
The railroad brotherhoods have EN-
barked upon a policy that even tbs
most conservative of them must admit
is economically revolutionary. II theil
scheme of naturalization under class
control Is to be carried out In respect
TO railroads, nobody can draw the line
where II shall stop until all industry I,
under Soviet direction Yet they ar,
not putting their program out as {
matter 10 be discussed and deliberate
ly considered by the American people
They are trying to force the issue anc
bring about a revolution by ultima
tum.
The Public Pays.
| In the last three years the railroad
employees have received hundreds o,
millions Of dollars In wage Increase,
Tor which the general public is paying
AS a reward for its generosity tn,
country is to be taken by the throa