Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-05-21
PLAN OF ORGAN IT,
lied EMPLOYEES
By Glenn e. Plumb

by item n. TluuU
well-known Chicago Lawyer: Attorney
for the Railroad Brotherhoods.
Our railroads constitute a system OF
public highways 250,O00 miles In ex-.
tent Along these highways flows all
all the commerce. of the nation. The.
transportation of this commerce be.
fore January 1, 1918, was an industry
controlled by private owners, regulat'
ed by the public, and employing more
than five per cent. of the total labor
supply of the country.
This industry is based upon three
elements: The grant of authority
from the people to conduct the indus
try for their benefit; the investment
of capital in sufficient amount to &C.
Quire the properties and their equip
ment, and the investment by wage
earners Of their services in the indus
try. These three elements are of
equal Importance in performing pub.
lie service. Without a franchise or
grant of authority neither the wage
Garner nor capital could function.
Without capital labor would lack en-
ployment and the public would lack
service. Without labor capital would
miss it's opportunity for investment
and the public would be deprived of
service. Under private ownership and
management capital alone has been re-
presented in the directorate controll-
ing the industry. BY monopolizing
the Office management, capital has
denied to both the public and to labor
any representation in it's directorate.
! Labor has been compelled to organize
| in order that it might procure due
recognition of it's interest in the in
dustry, and the public has been COM
PEELED to legislate and pass stringent
laws regulating the exercise of the
power Of management by capital in
order to protect the public interest in
the industry.
Between the demand of labor and
| the regulation of government, capital
istic management is no longer able
to support all of it's claims to earn a
return upon all of the securities it
has issued. The right of capital to
all of it's claimed returns is challenged
by both the public and the wage earn
ers. Capital says to the public: I'm
order to meet the burdens placed upon
us by the regulations which you en-
force, we can no longer meet the de-
mands made upon us by the wage
earners. Either wages must fall or
the public must pay more for the
service" To the wage Garner capital
says: "Your demands are extortion-
ate. We cannot pay the wages de-
manded unless rates are increased"
The wage Garner and the public in
turn reply to capital: If your de-
mands were not so great the wage
earper could receive his just due
without increasing the burden thrown
upon the public by increasing rates.
In fact, just wages could be paid and
just return paid to you and reduc-
ton in rates be made to the public"
The organized employees of the serv-
ice, acting as a unit, have presented
to Congress plan that provides for
mutual and righteous understanding
between these three interests for the
future conduct of the industry in
which the public, the wage Garner, and
the railway management shall have an
equal voice OF authority, This plan
provides:
First. That the Government shall
acquire all existing railroad proper
ties, paying therefor the price to be
judicially determined in proceedings
as prescribed in the act providing for
government acquisition.
That the Government shall own all
railways hereafter constructed; that
future extensions shall be financed by
Government and the territory speci-
fically benefited by the construction
of such extensions; the apportionm ent
Of public and private benefits to be
made in the lowest obtainable rate of
interest, in amounts determined as
chargeable to public benefits and paid
for by the public shall be charged to
capital account and affect fixed
charges.
Second. That the Government shall
be authorized, as a means of paying
for the properties so acquired, to is.
sue it's securities at the lowest oh.
tainable rate of interest, in amounts
sufficient to pay for the cost of acqui.
sition and to furnish the required
amount of working capital.
Third. That the properties shall
be operated by private corporation
organized under federal charter
which shall have no financial invest
ment in the industry, its sole capital
being operating skill and ability. 1t
| oAoAA nave q LOAAAAc1A NopACClA oLOCh, all
of which shall be trusteed for the
employees shall be divided into two
classes-(A) those employees exercis
ing executive and managerial powers
and OBJ the wage earning employees
who carry into execution the direc
lions of the executive employe. This
corporation shall be controlled by a
| hoard Of 1iroafnrc hir1 ~ &c
board to be named by the President
of the United States, with the approx
al of the Senate, one-third to be elect
ed by the employees in Glass A and
one-third to be elected by the employ
es in Glass B.
Fourth, The Government shall
lease to this corporation all of its
lines of railways for operating pur
poses. The lease shall provide that
the corporation shall pay each year;
Q) All operating expenses, including
therein the amounts which the Gov
eminent may prescribe shall be sci
aside to meet the maintenance anG
renewal charges; (2) An agreed
amount to establish sinking fund
which should be not less than one
half of one per cent. of the outstand
ing capital account; go The amoun
of net earnings remaining after max
ing the above required payments shall
, be divided equally between the Gov
eminent and the operating corpora
ton. The profits so accrufng to thu
4. operating corporation shall then b.
> distributed, either in annual, semi
annual, or quarterly payments, as ;
dividened upon the payroll Of the cor
poration; each employee in Glass re
) ceiving that portion of the dividend
| allotted to that class which his wa q,