The labor world., 1919-12-06

Congress Going Long Way: 70
Assist Railroads. Rates Must
!. Be Increased 10 Save Them =

Do I'C'edStu " SdVt ItnI
Continued From Page ~
reasonable opportunity to study this
problem, and when it becomes abso-
1utely certain that any scheme that
contemplates a return Of the rail-
roads to private control involves dis
aster. the nation will turn to the
Plumb Plan as the only logical and
equitable :remedy-the one way out
Of this grave situation.
Great Britain has already resorted
to characterization as the solution Of
its railroad problem, which has
many phases similar to rthose that
Hon. G. N. Barnes, member OF, the
British cabinet and one OF the gov
ernments delegates attending the
International Labor Conference here,
declares, in an exclusive interview
printed in this weeks issue of Labor,
that in his judgment 1.-THE railroads
of Great Britain, taken over by, the
government during the war, will
never be returned to private man
agement.''
A joint control agreement has al
ready been effected between govern
ment and the Railwaymen's Union.
following the general idea of the
Plumb Plan. It places the trans
portation system under the direction
Of four representatives Of the gov
ernment, four Of the public and four
Of the workers. union
Freight rates have not been raised
under government control, Mr..
Barnes states, due largely 10 the fact
that the compensation paid owners
was but: four per cent, as against
six per cent. paid the owners of
American railways. This arrange
ment has operated so we'll that
shareholders, shippers and the: gov
eminent have been satisfied" said
Mr.. Barnes.
Will Be Accepted.
G. H. Stuart Burning, former
chairman of the trades union parlia-
mentary conference and British Ia
Dor delegate to the Industrial confer
J. ence, states that the joint control
arrangement will be accepted gener-
ally as a try-out for labor, testing
its qualifications for the long-de-
manded' partnership in production.'
The agreement reached in: Great
Britain, he believes, will give addi-
tional courage to those who are
| the railroads in the United States.
British workers gained their VIC
! tory through united effort, Br. Bun
! ming says, 'the railwaymen's union
having the united support Of the en-
| tire trade union movement"
The most significant development
| OF the struggle that Is now being
| waged between privilege, on 4one side
and the general public on the other
is the better understanding that ex-
lists between the workers on the
farms and the workers in the city.
! "The greatest American question
today" declares Clifford Pinchot, is
to bring together these great bodies
; of workers for the purpose, Of being
mutually helpful IN the presence o1
ISSUES in which they have common
interest. Mr.. Pinchot speaks with a
complete understanding Of the needs
and aspirations Of the farmer work
ers. He is a member of the Penn.
sylvania State Grange and also Of the
National Board of Farm Organiza,
tions.
Much in Common.
! 1.-THE organized farmers believe
that the grave and puzzling conflicts
between capital and labor which are
afflicting the nation at this time can.
not be settled solely in the interest Of
any group Of class" Mr.. Pinchot de.
clares. mo matter what surface diff.
| ferences there may be, beneath thu
surface labor and the farmer have
very much In common. The Nationa
Board Of Farm Organizations has Of
ficially declared that a communit,
OF interests exists amongst all
! workers.
Labor and the farmer likewise
have their enemies in common. The
magnates that exploit labor are the
same that exploit the farmer. The
price the farmers get for the foo6
they raise is doubled before labor
eats it by a system of distribution
that is honeycombed with specia
privilege. Both are the victims OF
magnates, and the magnatcs are th<
common enemies of both.
| "The right of the men and wonner
who work to q square deal and q
falr share Of tho wealth they create
1s the Great common demand In
which they unite, and it is funda
mental with both of Them