The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1919-09-13
PLAN TO REPEAT
ATTACK OF 1916
Railway Employees Chiefs Ap.
pear at Washington With New
Threat to Congress.
ASK $1,000, 600, 600 MORE PAY
Also Demand Naturalization Of Other
Industries, Following Example Of
Russian soyIefa

Washington.-It is just three year
since the four leaders of the railwa
brotherhoods, having refused arbitri
ton Of their demands, sat In the ga
lery Of the United States Senate an
held their watches on the Senator
while the memorable vote was bein
taken on the Adamson Law that CAV
them $6O,OOO,0O0 additional wages
year. When the vote was counted an
announced the four labor chiefs rushe,
out to the telegraph office and with
drew the order for a nationwide
strike.
That such scene may be again en-
acted on much greater scale II indi
Gated by the startling development
at the nations capital In the past few
days. Now the 100000 men in tn,
brotherhoods have been joined by
more than million other railroad
workers-shopmen. trackmen, tele
graphers, clerks, station agents-and
the demands are many times what
they, were three years ago.
A Thousand Million Dollars.
On top of thousand million dollars
Of added wages granted by the Gov
eminent In the past year and a half,
the allied workers are asking for an
other increase Of a thousand million
dollars.
But more than this, this great body
of railroad employees has served an
ultimatum on the Government that all
the railroads Of the country must be
taken away from their owners and
turned over to the employees to be OBJ
Grated by them on a communistic
profit-sharing plan.
The plan is as daring as any con-
ceived by the Russian Bolshevists, and
behind IT is the threat of nationwide
strike, with the leaders Of the men sit
ting in the Senate gallery, watches in
hand, counting the vote.
To Tie Up All Transportation.
I'VE win tie up the railroads so that
they will never run again If we do not
get what we want" announced one of
the labor spokesman, standing within
a stones throw of the Capitol, and
this amazing announcement, like an
ultimatum from leader Of the Rus
sian Soviet, was instantly flashed over
the telegraph wires to every part of
the country.
Since the first Brotherhood bomb
she'll exploded in Washington at the
end Of July, the fact has leaked out
hat the brotherhoods are gathering
propaganda fund of $4,000, 900 for
IN intensive drive on Congress. Three
million dollars, It Is announced, has
llready been collected from the mem
'ers of the unions. This will be used in |
ampaign work in the Congressional
districts. with the purpose of enlist
ng the votes Of the members of |
congress, or Of defeating them for
collection IL they do not vote as the
dictate. Money will also
e lavishly spent, It Is stated, In send
ng speakers throughout the country
D stir up the enthusiasm Of organized
abor for the brotherhood plan of :
ommunistic railroad operation.
"NationaIizing" All Industry.
III we don't get what we want out
this Congress we will put this
Congress- out and put another one in
hat will give us what we want" is
Re matter-of-fact announcement of
he central propaganda office Of the
In Washington.
Back Of the Immediate purpose to
hin control Of the railroads is an
zen deeper scheme to gain control of
] great industries, taking them from
Ieir owners and putting them under
e direct management Of the organic
workers, as has been done in Rus
a, and as they are attempting to do
Germany and Austria.
The reports of the United States
abroad administration show that the
overnment since 1T took over the
ads in December. 1917. has increased
ilroad wages by considerably more
an thousand million dollars, and
out 100000. 900 year is being tax. a
out Of the National Treasury to
eet the deficit caused by the great
crease In labor cost.
dig Wage Increases.
The principal advances In wages t
We been: To shopmen. $500, 600;
unskilled labor, sos, 0O0, 600; to the
lin brotherhoods, S2OO,OO0,OOO; to 0
rks, $125OOO.OOO; to telegraph and O
ltion agents. $10O,00O,OOO; to mis- :,
laneous classes, s110.OO0,O0O. =
All Of these groups are now demand !;
additional increases Of from 80 to h
per cent When the Government ),
X control Of the roads the average y
'pings Of all railroad. workers. In Il