The Republican journal., 1919-02-27
MORE RAILROAD NONSENSE.

There are four great railroad brother
hoods in this country. They are well or
gained and there is no doubt but that,
with few exceptions, these associations
have been benefit to the members and
have increased their usefulness, just
now, however, they seem to be DESTROYS
of embarking on an experimental sea,
where wreckage is rather likely to strew
the shores as the only result of the voy-
age. MI Glenn E. Plumb, counsel for
the brotherhoods, has made proposition
to Congress, The first article thereof
proposes that the government shall pur-
chase the railroads. In view of the facts
that the income tax levied this year is
equivalent to 500 for every man, woman
and child in the United States, and that
the people of this country are soon to be
asked to buy and pay for Sc, 900, 000 900 of
Victory bonds this proposition seems to
be somewhat staggering. We do not know
how much money would be required to
pay for the railroads, their equipment
and terminals, but we feel safe in saying
the amount would be SC large that the
government could not obtain it either by
taxation or by the sale of bonds. But
we will let that pass and consider the
next article. The scheme proposed that
after the purchase, if it could be made,
the MANAGEMENT of the railroads should
L To ha bopdc
of that division of cur people which
works in the railroad service, meaning of
course, the brotherhoods. The next step
would be the appointment by them of a
director general, perhaps he would be a
railroad man, perhaps a McAdoo, but
that is not important because, whoever
might be, the brotherhoods would
Ike him dance to their music or give
ce to some one who would do so. The
otherhoods would fix the hours of labor
md the scale of wages, also the trans
portation rates. The welfare Of the peo-
pie and business of the whole country
would be at the mercy of people who did
not have a dollar invested in the business
which they controlled. Power and con-
troll given to them, honest and well in
tentioned as most of them are, will inevi-
tably lead to poor service, because the
responsibility rests in the main, not on
the Individual but on a corporate body
scattered all over this broad land But
the two articles mentioned above are not
the worst features of the plans outlined
by Mr.. Plumb III behalf of the real pro-
poncnts The worst, and therefore the
most important article in the speCihca-
tons, relates to the receipts for transport
tation and the proposed use or disposal
of them. First, Of course, the operating
expenses are to be paid and from what
money, if any, IS Ief. the government is
to have 5 per cent on the cost of the
roads Then, if any still remains, it is to
be divided equally between the govern
ment and the employees. We have had
and are still having an illustration of
government ownership and brotherhood
dictation which, in about year, has re-
suited in confessed loss of Sl96, 0OO, 600,
and probable ultimate loss of as mucn
more from money already advanced from
the United States treasury Mr.. Plumb
knows all about this and therefore in the
plan which he presents, he provides that
in case of deficit, the government must
make it good. however great it may be,
and in that case, will not get the per
cent proposed. In other words, the gov
eminent is to furnish money to be spent
by people who have no personal financial
stake in the success of the business car
ried Oh. If the receipts of the business
are net sufficient to pay operating ex-
penses, the government must see that
they are paid out of The treasury. Gov
eminent control has proved to be fail
ure ard this scheme, if put into operation,
will prove to be a disaster,