New-York tribune., 1919-08-07
Money Autocracy
Ending, Says Stone
Engineers Brotherhood
Head Declares W0rkers
44re To Be Ciren Chance
to Aduunce.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.--Declaring
that American democracy is controlled
by an autocracy in industry and that
America must become the home Of in
dustrial freedom, Warren S. Stone,
Grand Chief of the Brotherhood Of
LOGON otive Engineers and president Of
the Plumb Plan League, gave the key
statement of labor in the hearing be
fore the House and Senate committees
day.
lie argued that there could be no
solution of the industrial problem and
no lowering of the cost of living as
long as consumers had to pay extor-
tlonatc profits on their own earnings
IN purchasing the necessaries Of life.
Labor's belief in the Sims bill, he said.
was profound. "In this plan" he con-
cluded, 1--WE raise the banner of democ-
racy in control of industry, we ad-
vance to a new crusade with the faith
Of the Pilgrims, with the convictions
OF the trainers of the Constitution and
with the hope Of America for economic
independence"
Speaks for 100000 Men
AT the request of these organiza-
tions the Sims bill is now before you"
ne said. II speak as the voice of these
100000 men, delegated by them to ;4l.-
nounce to this committee and tc ~
people of this country that they T..
supporting this measure with al! t.
strength and all the unity of purpos,
that can move so large a body O.
citizens.
Joined with us and represented by
Mr. Morrison is the American Fedora
tion of Labor, adding $500, 900 men to
that body of railway employees who
instituted this movement.
'ln the industrial development Of
this country great organizations Of
capital first appeared as employers.
Individual workers, following the ex-
ample set by capital, organized as en-
ployes. Their purpose was to secure
better working conditions and a larg-
er measure of return for their labors.
tions has been set against labor to
hold and to keep all the profits of in
dustry. The strength of the labor
unions has been eXerted to wrest from
capital some share of the profits for
the wage earners.
Public Often Ignored
MS mas Deen a perpetual struggle
by the workers to maintain toler-
Of capital to amass greater profits At
times both sides could ignore the needs
of the public. But now the very growth
of the labor organizations has brought
into their ranks a great mass of the
consumers The large number of the
wage earners now constitute a large
percentage of the people. The exten-
sion of industry has changed the ma
ture OF the previous struggle.
Pays Profit on Own Labor
For whatever the worker, receives
IN wages he must spend for the neces-
saries of life. In addition, he is always
compelled to pay to the employer an
excessive profit on his own wages. The
cost of his living is determined by the
sum he earns plus the profit he is
/ charged on his own labor And as a
group labor is forever prevented from
bettering its lot because of the profits
exacted by the employer. The hope of
inner life is never realized. SO long
as consumers are forced to pay extor-
tlonate profits on their own earnings to
third interest there is no solution of
the industrial problem
We find that this third interest
absolutely controls and dominates the
management of industry 1t fixes wages
and controls working conditions. 1t
fixes the prices of commodities without
regard to the needs of society. or the
necessities of producers and consum
ers. We have democratic form of gov
ernment, but an autocratic control IF
industry.
I'VE exist under government, but by
industry we live. Under such a system
the majority of democracy can
through their government enjoy only
such rights and privileges as an autoc-
racy in industry permits them to re-
ceive. This country was peopled by a
race who sought within its boundaries
religious freedom. 1t was established ID
by their descendants through revolu-
tion as land of political freedom We
now demand that it become the home
of industrial freedom.
This can only be accomplished bv
extending to industry the same right Of
individual freedom recognized by the
founders of our government in estab,
lishing this democracy. The need OF
mankind for the products of industry
must be accepted as the basic interest
in all industry. The right of the worker
who supplies that need demands like
acceptance. This can only be achieved
by permitting producers and consumers
to share in control Of the management
Of their means of existence. The ma
/ chinery for attaining this result we be-