Gilpin observer., 1919-09-04
RAILWAY LABOR
MOVE ASSAILED
New York World, Strong Wilson,
Supporter, Denounces "Revolu-
ton by UItimatum."
PARALLEL TO RUSSIAN IDEA.
Calls Railroad Brotherhoods' Plan for
Government Ownership "Soviet
Economics Venture"

New YOrk.-Ine New Aorh WoA'u'
in a leading editorial, characterizes-
the railroad labor plan for Government
ownership of railroads as "a straight
out adventure into Soviet economics"
The editorial page Of the World has
long had a national reputation for un-
deviating support Of Democratic prin-
ciples, hostility to Wall street, and the
most loyal and vigorous assistance to
President Wilson. The World says:
"RevoIution by UItimatum."
The plan of the railroad brother
hoods for taking over the railroad
properties Of the country is n straight
out adventure into Soviet economics
1t contemplates collective ownership
but class operation and control, which
is at the foundation of the Soviet sys-
TEN.
The American people, through their
Government, are to buy the railroads
from the private owners and turn these
properties over to the railroad en-
plOyees to manage and operate. In
consideration Of an investment Of ap-
proximately $2O,OOO,OO0,OOO the Gov
ernment is to appoint one-third Of the
directors. and the public is to share
in such savings in the cost Of opera
tion as may remain after the en-
plOyees have paid themselves what
they think their services ought to be
worth.
The spirit In which the program is
put forth may be inferred from a state
ment made by B. NJ. Jewell. acting
president of the railroad employees
department of the American Fedora
tion Of Labor, In which he said that II
President Wilson's, suggestion to Con-
gress was carried out 1--WE will tie up
the railroads so tight that they will
never run again If that legislation is
passed." 1t might have been Trotzky
himself speaking to bourgeoise that
had offered mild and academic objec-
tlOHS 10 DeluS ueSpOleu.
Who 10 the Government
Before any railroad plan can be
worked out one highly essential fact
must be stablished-namely, whether
the sovereign power Of the United
States is vested in Government and in
the American people or whether 1t is
vested in the railroad brotherhoods.
For three years now the brother
hoods have assumed that the sovereign
power was vested in them, and Con-
gress has provided them with excel
lent reasons for that assumption.
When the railroad employees in the
critical period Of the summer Of 1915
demanded an eight-hour day and
threatened a general strike, President
Wilson sent message to Congress in
which he urged that the eight-hOur
day be made the basis Of work and
wages, but he made four other pro-
posals, one Of which called for
IAN amendment to the existing Fed
eral statute which provides for the
mediation, Cancellation and arbitration
Of such controversies as the present
by adding to 1t provision that in
case the methods Of accOmm odatiOn
now provided for should fail, q full
public investigation of the merits Of
every such dispute should be institut-
ed and completed before strike or
lockout may be lawfully attempted"
Try to intimldate Congress.
Congress refused to enact this iegis-
latiOn because the labor leaders OBJ
Jected to 1t, and now we have q situa-
tion In which labor leader can threat
en- to "tie UP the railroads SO tight that
they will never run again" II Congress
presumes to pass an act to which the
brotherhood autocracy objects as un-
equal to its imperative demands.
The railroad brotherhoods have EN-.
barked upon a policy that even the
most conservative OF them must admit
Is economically revolutionary. II heir
scheme of naturalization under class
control Is to be carried out in respect
to railroads, nobody can draw the line
where 1t shall stop until all industry
Is under Soviet direction. Yet they
are not putting their program out as
matter to be discussed and deliberate
ly considered by the American people
They are trying to force the issue and
bring about revolution by ultima
tum. n
The Public Pays.
In the Inst three years the railroad
employees have received hundreds Of
millions of dollars In wage increases
FOR which the general public is paying.
AS reward for Its generosity the
country Is to be taken by the throat
and choked into submission II the most
complicated economic issues that have
ever confronted II are not settled forth