The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-09-06

assurances early in January OF this
year.
But what was the result? Senator
Cummins, chairman of the interstate
commerce committee, speaking In the
senate on August 5, said, I'VE lost
$40 900 900 last year, and we lost in
the first four or five months In this
year, 1919, $3.50, 1000, 900, and we are
now losing at the rate Of $S9,000,O80 u
month"
Do you really believe that under the
Plumb plan you can turn this deficlr
under government control eithsr into
surplus for the account OF the gov
eminent or the public or into better
service for the country?
I I do not believe 1t can be done ex.
cept by one increase after another In
transportation rates.
Permit me to make another sugges'
ton: Since government control was
begun the wages of the employees have
been increased about $1,000, 100000.
The director general, on July 81, 1919,
informed the president that additional
increases were demanded which wou,i
aggregate, If granted, about $S00,0OO,.
900 more per year.
/ have no knowledge as to whether
the conditions are such as to justify
this increase or not, and express no
opinion with regard to 1t. want the
railroad men and all laboring men 10
be literally paid, whether under pub
| lie or private control.
But this is only an incident to the
larger question to which want to CALI
your attention. If the conditions are
such that this increase is justified.
| then am for it. await the proof be-
fore l shall decide it. aror
But when your representatives
come to Washington and not only ask
this Increase but demand that the
congress Of the United States shall
buy these properties at cost to the
government of $4,000, 100000 or $780,
100000 and turn them over to the
national railways operating corpora
ton for management and operation
want to say to you as one American
to another 1t is neither fair nor Amer.
lean for them to insinuate revolution,
as they have before the interstate
commerce committee of the house,
unless their demands are granted.
And let me suggest that the people
at large have not expressed any de-
sire for this plan, but members OF
your brotherhoods--I do not mean
the chiefs--have been in Washington
making their threats as to what would
happen unless this legislation Is en-.
acted. AS one senator / shall always
be open to conviction, but / never yet
have yielded to a threat, and | never
will.
OF course, know that you do not
I q afI 1I1 Gu oh fY,D
citizens, real Americans, never do
approve them. 1t is only men of the
bolshevik type Of mind that ever re-
sort to them.
/ Among tho threats that have leel
made are threats Of nationwide
strike. do not mean to suggest that
the chiefs Of the brotherhoods have
suggested a nationwide strike. but
some of the members of the brother
hoods have made these threats here in
! Washington to senators. I am sure
that you do not give any countenance
to strikes under present conditions.
! / believe in the right of the labor
ing man to use the instrument of the
strike under proper circumstances,
but / do not believe the occasion is
here or ever has been here or over
nationwide strike, with all the dis
I tress 1t will bring, not only on the
public at large but on the strikers and
their families.
I With general strike on In this
) country. tying up all the railroads, the
products of the mine and the farm and
the factory could not be moved to the
centers of population and in one
weeks time the people Of our great
cities would be starved, and in win.
ter frozen. The people of these CEN
! tiers Of population include the wives,
/ the children, and the babes of railway
men as well as others. 1t is too shock
/ ing situation to even contemplate.
! A subcommittee of the interstate
commerce committee, of which / am a
member has been engaged for mum.
Der of weeks in preparing bill pro
( viding for the reorganization and regu-
lation of the railroads to present to
I the full committee for its considera-
! ton. l hope 1t will appeal to the sober
/ sense Of the public. / can give no
assurances as to whether 1t will be
approved or disapproved. but of this
II am convinced. that the American
public never will approve the Plumb
plan or anything akin to 1t.
I The Plumb plan is the most vicious
piece of legislation that has been pre-
sented to congress since l have been
In the senate. / would feel that was
contributing to the ruin, not only to
the transportation system OF the coun-
! try, but to its financial and industrial
! breakdown, II voted for it. 1t would
lead not only to the ruin of the whole
people but to every railroad man as
well.
notwithstanding the statement in
your letter to the effect that this plan
was unanimously adopted at a meet
ing of the representatives and dele
i gates to whom 1t was submitted by
you, venture the assertion that when
/ they understand it the vast majority
of them will oppose it.
Much has been said by the brother
hood chiefs and their counsel in the last
/ few days here in Washington about
thu dam tiZatton Of industry and