New-York tribune., 1919-08-10
Plumb Plan Men
TO Call on Wilson
viii Take President at His
Word and Outline Rail
Naturalization | d e a
Ne,u York Tribune
W0.Shift0tO1, Bursnu


WASHINGTON, Aug. 9.--At its pre-
liminary meeting here to-day, the Ma
tional Commission on Democracy.
called into being to back up the Plumb
plan, decided that it would take Presi-
dent Wilson at his word regarding his
readiness, as stated yesterday, to con-
fer with any of his countrymen "who
know what they are talking about" So
one of the first steps the commission
will take will be to have meeting
with the President, at which the Plumb
plan will be unfolded to the chief
executive and he will be fully advised
of the revelations regarding alleged
railway corporation exploitation, which
Mr.: Plumb has been withholding.
According to the Plumb League pub
llcity bureau "leadcrs of national
thought" attended the preliminary con-
ference to-day. Among them were
Judge Walter Clark, chief justice of
the Supreme Court Of North Carolina,
who was elected temporary chairman
of the conference; Governor Henry j
Allen, of Kansas; Professor Edward
bemis, of New York; Ex-Governor f. f.
Dunno, of Chicago; Frederic c. Howe,
Commissioner Of immigration of the
l oiI VI 4NeW l OIN, L IIdllk i. alSn,
formerly joint chairman of the National
War Labor Board; j. A. H. Hopkins,
chairman of the executive committee
of the Committee Of Forty ght, and
Morris l.. Cook, consulting engineer, of
Philadelphia.
Headed by Garretson
This group met with A. B. Garrett
son. adviser of the Order of Railway
Conductors; James J. Forester, grand
president, Brotherhood of Railway and
Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers,
Express and Station Employees, and
other officials of the railroad labor or
CARNATIONS now assembled in Wash
ington.
Glenn E. Plumb told the assembled
leaders about his plan for nationaliza-
ton of the railways under the control
of a three-cornered directorate and
then submitted the evidence in his
possession "showing that the railroad
ruined by the manipulations Of the
private owners"
The press announcement continues:
while this conference OF liberal
thought was called before the mind
Of President Wilson became known on
the question of a constructive policy
to be pursued towards the present
acute state of industrial unrest
throughout the country, it falls
naturally into line with his desires Is
since expressed, and is in this sense
al interesting example of Americas
Quickness in action.
Early Meeting Is BE Asked
"President Wilson, in his Apeech be-
fore the Congress on Friday afternoon,
said
"'There are many things that ought
to be corrected in the relations be-
tween capital and labor, in respect of
wages and conditions OF labor and other
things even more far reaching, and |,
for one, am ready to go into confer
ence about these matters with any
group of my fellow countrymen who
know what they are talking about and
are willing TO remedy existing condi-
tions by frank counsel rather than by
violent contest. No remedy is possible
while men are in temper, and there
can be no settlement which does not
have as its motive and standard the
general interest. Threats and undue
insistence upon the interest Of single
class make settlement impossible.'
while no definite action toward that
end was taken at the afternoon
session Of the conference, the ques-
ton Of comforting with President
Wilson, in the spirit of this state
ment, was discussed. 1t is unavoda-
Bile that a meeting with the President
will be sought at an early date, when
the essential principles of the Plumb
plan Will be presented and the state
of facts outlined which lends such
power to the proposal of the brother
hoods for the naturalization and dem
ocratization of the railroads."