New-York tribune., 1919-02-11
Chief of Conductors Tells
Senators He Speaks for
100000 Union Workers
CottrelI Opposed to Idea
Federal Operation Proved
Ruinous, He Says; Urges
Return to Private Hands
New York Tribune
WASHINGTON Bureau


way Conductors and spokesman for
virtually all the organized employees of
the railroads of the country, told the
Senate Committee on Interstate Com
merce to-day why labor supports in
principle the plan to turn over. the
operation and profits of the properties
to the workers.
ut IS brave man." he told the com
mlttee, who, after a world wide con-
vulsion like the present war. would ex-
pect the tangled threads of civilization
to be picked up where they We're broken.
This is not an era Of turning back
ward. Forces have been let loose by
this war which must be reckoned with
and every man must go ahead doing
his bit to the end that the better
civilization for which we fought shall
be. carried forward"
The radical views Of the brotherhood
chleftaln were in remarkable contrast
with those of the witness who pre-
ceded him, Charles Z. Cottrcll, rep
resenting the Southern Traffic League.
Government ownership in any form
this witness declared, promised moth
ing but wreck and ruin for the South.
Federal operation, as illustrated by
the present administration OF the
roads, he told the committee, had
aroused shippers throughout the South
to demand return of the roads to
their private owners in the shortest
possible time.
Experiment Called Runous
"Much as we are opposed to govern
ment ownership declared Mr. Cottrell.
1--WE would prefer to have the Con-
gress come out for government owner
ship than to continue this intermediate
status of complicated experimentation. :"
Mr.. Garretson made q. picturesque
figure as he sat facing the members of
the committee and the rows Of rail
road executives and shippers attorneys
comprising the audience.
Railroad attorneys and railroad
presidents" doomed forth the
brotherhood head, may smile when
say that I have studied the railroad
problem deeply. ! have, in my own
way
He explained that in addition to
representing the four great brother
hoods, comprising the engineers, con-
ductors, brakemen and firemen of the
railroads. he had been authorized to
speak for the ten railway unions affili-
ated with the American Federation Of
Labor. Together, he said, the members
OF the brotherhoods and the unions
totalled some 100000 of the more
| than 100000 railroad employees OF the
country.
The plan which has been presented
to this committee by Glenn f. Plumb" ="
said Mr.. Garretson at the outset of his
testimony, $50 far as its principles are
concerned, has received The unqualified
/ Endorsement Of the brotherhoods and
OF the unions, but no agreement has
been attempted as to the mechanics of
the scheme proposed"
Plumb Plan Outlined
The Plumb plan provides the govern
ment shall buy all the railroads and
requires the present owners to accept
In return for their securities govern
ment bonds. The management of the
| roads would be turned over to a single
operating corporation for all the roads
the board Of directors Of which would
/ be elected tWo-thlrds directly or in
directly by the employees and the final
third appointed by the President. The
earnings of the roads above fixed
charges and operating expenses would
be split between the employees and the
government, each employe receiving q
dividend proportionate to his wages
Above a certain return the govern
ments share would be absorbed by au-
tomato reductions in freight and pas
senger rates. Below that amount il
would be used for betterments and ex-
tensions Of the properties.
Never IN the history of the world,
| declared Mr.. Garretson, "has there
| been a problem of such magnitude
| The American railway system is the
biggest industry in the world. II
transcends any other in social, politica
or economic Importance, for it reaches
into every household in the land.
"The real problem before Congress
is not adoption of a comprehensive plar
of future regulation of the railroads
but declaration as to the future
| government ownership is best, because
we believe that it is to the best interest
of the country that railroad service
| shall be given at the lowest possible
| cost.
| Union Heads Change Front
"Out Of the four men at the heat
| of the four brotherhoods, all of whom
subscribe now to the principles of gov
ernment ownership, three have hitherto
been advocates of private ownership
! They have been driven by force Of logi,
and by experience to favor government
| ownerghop."
|
the present system of government op
| Grafton, as we'll as experience unde'
| private operation, has brought them t.
this conclusion" asked Senator Poin
| dexter
| Eyes, both" the witness replied. 'Mr
Stone, head of the Order of Engineers
| Lee, of the Trainmen, and Sheahy, O
the Fircmen and Enginemen, were al
formerly private ownership men.
stand tomorrow. The committee i
still hopeful of concluding the hear
ings this week, although many inter
csts are still asking to be heard.
1 Mr. Cottrell contended the railroa
administration had been entirely to-
generous in granting wage increases
although he said the shippers were en-
tlrely willing that pay should be ade
quate. The rates of pay that had beel
accorded the negro labor on the rail
roads Of the South, he said. had create
many anomalous and peculiar situa
tions.
Local Conditions Ignored
There have been numerous in
stances" he said, where negroes hav
been paid more than their white su
periors. The difficulty is that the di
rector general has been functionin
nationally and ignoring many loca
conditions"
He recited many instances to sho,
how the local rate committees cstab
lished by the railroad administrator