Lexington dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1917-1919, 1919-09-10
New York World, Strong Wilson
Supporter, Denounces "ReVoiu-
ton by UItimatum."
PARALLEL TO RUSSIAN IDEA,
Calls Railroad Brctherhoods' Plan for
Government Ownership "SoVlet
Economics Venture"

the railroad labor plan for Government
ownership of railroads as "a straight
out adventure into Soviet economics. >.
The editorial page of the World has
long had a national reputation for un-
deviating support of Democratic prln-
ciples. hostility to Wall street. and the
most loyal and vigorous assistance to
President Wilson. The World says:
"Revolution by Ultimatum."
The plan Of the railroad brother
hoods for taking over the railroad
properties of the country is a straight
out adventure into Soviet economics.
1t contemplates, collective ownership,
but class operation and control, which
is at the foundation Of the Soviet sys-
tenn.
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-
,roximately S2O,O00,0O0,000 the Gov
ernment is to appoint one-third Of the
directors, and the public is to share
q 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. = 80
The spirit in which the program ia
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 it
President Wilson's suggestion to Con-
gress was carried out 1--WE will tie up
the railroads so tight that they will
never run again if that legislation is
passed" 1t might have been Trotzky
himself speaking to bourgeoise that
had offered mild and academic objec-
tions to being despoiled.
Who Is the Government "
Before any railroad plan can be
worked out one highly essential fact
must be stablished-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 raireaA employees in the
critical period Of the summer Of 1915
demanded an eight-hour day and
threatened a general strike, President
Wilson sent message to Congress in
which he urged that the eight-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, conciliation and arbitration
of such controversies as the present
by adding to it a provision that in
case the methods Of accommodate
now provided for should fail, full
public investigation Of the merits OF
every such dispute should be institut-
ed and completed before strike or
lockout may be lawfully attempted"
Try to lntimidate Congress- .
Congress refused: to enact this legis-
lation because. the labor leaders OBJ
tected to it, and now we have situa-
ton in which labor leader can threat
en- to ..'tie up the railroads so tight that
they will never run again" If Congress
presumes to pass an act to which the
brotherhood autocracy objects as IN
equal to its imperative demands.
The railroad brotherhoods have en-
barked upon a policy that even the
most conservative of them must admit
is economicall:' revolutionary. If heir
schel Ae Of naturalization under class
control is to be carried out in respect
to railroads, nobut.y can draw the Line
where It shall sto., until all industry
is under Soviet direction. Yet they
are not putting their program out as
matter to be discussed and deliberate
ly considered by the American people.
They are trying to force the issue and
bring about a revolution by ultima
tum.
The Public Pays.
In the last three years the railroad
employees have received hui eds OF
millions Of dollars in wage i!'..""ases
for which the general public IS l%ing.
AS reward for its generosity :he