Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-08-12
LABOR DEMANDS
THE FUNCTIONING
Of COVE RNMENT
Austin B, Garretson Says That.
Plumb Plan is Merely On,
Factor for Sitting Spirit of.
Unrest Abroad in Country

Washington, Aug. 11.-Nine- tenths
OF the energies of labor leaders are
given to the job of sitting on Tie JIG,
Austin b. Garretson, former head OF
the Order of Railway Conductors,
Il stified today before the house inter
state commerce committee, which is
seeking to solve the problem of how
best to handle the railroads after the
war time period of federal control,
Sporadic strikes throughout the
country, Garretson said with great
earnestness, merely are straws which
show how the wind is blowing over a
sea of industrial unrest. Rumblings
heard in many quarters do not mean,
he said. that laboring people want to
overthrow the government, but indI-
cate a demand that the governments
function.
In Hands of Congress.
1t is largely in the power of con-
gress, the witness declared, to alIay
the feeling.
But it cannot be done by inaction,
he shouted. Somehow the Amer-
can people are not prone always to
do today what may be done tomOy-
row, unless an emergency forces us
to act, and then we break all records. "
Mr.. Garretson said he did not re-
gard the Plumb plan as more than
one factor in sitting the spirit of
present day unrest nor did he think
it would change human nature or
other things that can be eliminated
II am not a dreamer of dreams, >
he told the committee, which gave
unusual attention to his testimony
for his appearance on the stand put
IS 20 In hn rot n.,
hearing, now approaching its second
month. The usual method of dealing
with witnesses was abandoned, largely
at Garretson's request. He had no
statement in written form; when he
started to speak as he expressed it,
| he did not know where he would stop,
and for two hours he was subjected
to a rapid cross fire of questions from
dozen members, and for each of
which he had quick reply.
Would Cut Out Politics.
There was a long discussion as %
whether it would be possible to keep
the railroads out of politics, Mr.. Gar
| retson declared that as spokesman Of
| his organization he wanted to prevent
men who could exercise political
! pull from exercising it,"
| How about the campaign of 1916
when railroad men generally were
| against Hughes and for Wilson >"
| representative Cooper, Democrat
| Ohio, asked
with all my republican affiliation
7 am somewhat guilty" Carl etson
replied, THAT was purely an act Of
citizenship"
| Mr. Garretson said the four broth
erhoods had not endorsed Director
| General Hines.
Compliments Hines.
But I'll say this" he added, "if
we could have secured the man we
wanted I doubt seriously if he would
have gone as far in his efforts 70
operate successfully the roads as Mr.,
| Hines"
Representative Webster. republican,
| Washington, examined the witness
regarding what the member charac-
| terized as labor union attempts To
coerce" him through letters. A warm
| colloquy resulted.
| Garretson told the committee the
the press of the country had been at
ticking him for thirty years but that
| his skin thickened meanwhile and
| his reputation stood.
| He will resume his testimony to-
morrow.