The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-08

uublio interest IN inc has'oh . "e""'-sD'
Control oiinference Called.
sIn view of the gravity OF this situa-
f,on and In order that we may have tho
b.neflt OF their counsel on behalf OF the
\ pubIic in presenting our statement TO
conTress and tot the American people,
fhe fourteen affiliated railway labor or
nhnixations through ex-Congressman
Keatitk and myself are summonins to
Washington a national conference On
E"on behaK Of the public we are In
citing to participate In this conference
AZ members Of the joint national com
nitt>ey on railroad control Frank p,
4 walsh, formerly joint chairman of the
1 National War Labor Board; Joseph w.
Ecik OF Missouri. Raymond Robbins
John Lind OF Minnesota Edward +.
Dunno of Chicago. DR.. Onward W..
+ Benis, Felix Adler, Cow Allen Of Kan
sas, Julia c. Lathrop and Judge Walter
4 Clark of North Carolina
fPlumbs charges Of the financial
vrecking of the railroads caused no
excitement or surprise among the COM
rr7ittee, not n question being asked about
fhem. Instead, Chairman Esch CWis)
after Mr.. Plumb stated that he was
closer to the people than Congress was
began inquiring as TO the real attitude
81 the country on the BILL.
h"Do you believe the people OF the
country will stand for Government
ownership" asked Mr.. Esch.
f"At this time would not say So" re-
plied Mr.. Plumb, "but feel absolutely
. assured the great majority are SO dis
4 satisfied with present conditions that
. hey are rapidly coming to the support
of the plan.
Threats of Revolution.
Ter feel that unless conditions are
changed there is going to be revolu-
a Hon. not by organized effort but through
+. 4 spontaneous revolt. The demand for
n government ownership is spreading like
uildhre among the workers I recently
4 addressed a meeting of about 5000
workers in ST. Louis and several men
came to me saying there was going to
te revolution unless the present system
. h changed. That was the echo Of the
whole meeting. The workers. particu-
4 IArly the railroad men, feel they have
\ reached the dead line of the diminishing
4 fevel of existence and rather than to
continue to serve they will cease to
4 serve"
s Members OF me committee then
promptly pointed out to Mr.. Plumb the
statement he made earlier in testimony
and to which ne pointed With great
H pride This was that organized laborers
and railroad workers held 1880. 900. 600
in Liberty bonds.
+; Although the labor leaders have now
i Presented their appeals to the House
; committee for two days 1t is evident
! that not one member has championed
their px1grainme.
Representative Sims (Tenn.), former
Democratic member of the committee
who introduced labor's bill, made it plair
{ to-day that he could not sanction the
E plan In its entirety and was opposed tC
Y many of the proposals. Instead he ad
y vocated the purchase by the Government
4 Of only the fixed equipment of the lines
I and then providing for the lease to the
Il present owners. they retaining the roll
ing stock and operating the lines under
more strict regulations than In the past
Ewas capitalized that this plan wa,
similar TO the present system of tn,
II Pullman Company. which operates It.
Il cars over lines owned by others
With strong opposition evident to ,th,
/, scheme. committee members spent nv,
4 hours picking flaws in the Plumb plar
N and allowing the author to defend tn,
n programme. Particular attention wa.
+ directed to the plan to pay the owners
a for the railroads. and the assertion tina
r all fictitious values must be squeezed
out.
Sum Needed to Buy Roads.
what would be required to buy tn,
railroads." Mr. Sims asked.
I'm my estimation, with the road,
claiming about $40. 900, 900. 900 valuation
there is probably less than $4,000, 900,
600 invested replied Mr.. Plumb 9TH,
\ greatest fictitious values are In the rail
] road stocks"
4 'The owners of the lines then undel
\ your plan would be able to receive abou
\ e6 per cent. on the face valpe OF thei
Il pfoperty?" Representative Barley ky
4 questioned.
4 Yes" assented Mr. Plumb and thei
!. IN seeking to justify his position said
II THAT is more than has ever before beer
obtained in tho history of the railroads
i The present security holders would re
ceive just about what they are able {,
get now"
4 81 "A careful study Of the Plumb plai
has convinced several members of tn
committee that II would hand over tn
control of all wages and rates to tn,
employees. with the representatives O
4 the public completely outvoted on an,
4 question.
a THE directorate that will have su
n preme control of the roads IL TO be com
III posed Of fifteen men. Ave to be selecte,
II by the President to represent the pub
II lie, five by the organized employees an,
n five by the official employees" said Rep
tCStHtdllNt burnley. II seems TO m
II that the employees could thus outvot
(. the public to their benefit by two to one
Omcial Employee Defined.
Iii Mr.. Plumb Insisted the official EN-
ployees were the present managers o
the lines and would not be sympatheti
TO the demands of the laborers
i, what is the difference between an or
\ ganized employee and an official EN-
ployee? MIR. Barley asked.
IAN official employee is one who ha
been promoted high enough not to b
eligible for membership in labor unions
4 Mr.. Plumb explained.
II Mr.. Barkley thought there was not
sharp line of distinction, but Mr.. Plum
insisted 1t was clearly understood. Sew
eral legal difficulties were pointed out I
tho Government ownership plan, but MI
Plumb insisted that Congress had the au
thority to sweep all these away.
Mr.. Esch was of the opinion tn
bTCtherhoods plan would set up tn
greatest political machine In the world
might not the directorate of this grea
corporation you propose to create be use
for political purposes?' he asked. 81
WIN. believe. be the most powerful or
ganizatlon in the world. Might not Their
be a temptation on its part to use II I
make profits for the Government at
time when money is sorely neededY
but under the plan" said Mr. Plumb
"the i. G. G. must reduce rates when Ger