South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-09-02
SOLON OFFERS
new SOLUTION
OF j. S. ROADS
CumminS Presents Measure
Calling for Wide ReOrganiza-
ton of Systems.
By United Press

BY United Press:
WASHINGTON. sept Private
ownership and operation Of The rail-
roads under strict government Gu
pervieion. with iahor sharing in
management and earnings IS pro-
vided i'm bin introduced today hv
Sen. Cummms. chairman of the sem
ate interstate commerce committeo
Strikes and lockouts are made
criminal offenses bv the bin and
elaborate provisions FOR participa-
ton OF employees 10 fixing wages and
working conditions are made
Joint committee on wages and
working conditions. on which both
sides are equal. represented. is
created.
A railway transportation board
with sweeping powers over The
roads is provided. The interstate
commerce commission would be Civ
On authority over issue OF stocks
and bonds and determination OF
fair return
The roads would be returned the
last day Of The month in which the
bin becomes a law.
Provides ReOrgRnizations.
The bin also provides for.
Ultimate reorganization OF the
roads into 20 10 So competitive sys-
TENS.
Employees and public each to have
two members on boards OF directors.
Excess earnings 70 be used. one
hair for purchase Of equipment hv
railway board. 10 be leased 10 roads
and the other half 20 be admins
tered by an employees advisory coun-
ell for establishing system or
proftsharing for emp,oyes. improve
ment OF working conditions. mven-
ton OF safety devices t.cauicaI edu
cation Of employs o supple
ment employees pensions and insur-
ance.
The railway board would nave
broad powers in rerouunE traffic
compelling Joint use ~ terminals
and suggesting Improvements ln
service generally.
Result OF Conferences.
The Cummins bin is the result OF
weeks OF conferences between rail-
way officials hnanciers and labor
leaders with a special subcommittee
Of the senate The bin is recon-
mended by the sul-committee 10 me
senate interstate committee.
While many ideas in The plumb
pIan are Incorporated in modified
form. the bill also embodies ideas of
railroad executives and hnarciefs.
The anti-strike provisions aroused
most comment Whether oreanlzec
labor win accept th.s. even with ne
recognition t gets in managemer-
OF the roads viii DC fhe paramount
question ia congress
In statement today SEN '1m-
Minis explained the anu-strike sec-
tion i'm detail
Imposes Penalty.
.This section imposes % penalty of
Gne or Imprisonment or both upon
anv carrier. or any officer of any
carrier who refuses go obey the de
cisious of the committee con wages
and working conditions after it has
been approved by the board 'rail-
way transportation ooardl be
stated
"It also provides that y two or
more persons enter into any COM
bination or agreement which SUBJ
stantauv hinders. restrains or pre-
vents the movement OF commodities
or persons in interstate commerce.
such persons -o com hluine ard
agreeing shall fe demnei guilty of
a conspiracy and shall re punished
bv fne NOT exceeding 5000 or
Imprisonment not exceeding SIX
months or br both fine and imb-is-
onment. provided that nothing
herein shall be taken 10 denf any
Individual the -gn- 20 qur Ei- eln-
pIovnent for any reason It wlI -
observed thai this section APPLIES
equally TO the officers OF managers
OF railway companies and their em-
pIoyes.
To Prevent Strike
The intent is 20 prevent any sap-
stantial interrI Iption in .ransporta-
ton and the effect Of it is 20 forbid
not only what is commonly known
as lockout bur also what is COM
monty known as "A strike OF the em-
Moves OF railway cOmpany. 10
must be remembered that The biiL.
i'm forbidding "a strike. or combina-
tion for "a strike has also provided
for the settlement OF an disputes by
government tribunal
The bin specified that money ad-
vanced by. the government % rall-
roads during the period ~ federal
control shall he converted into bonds
bearing SIX percent interest