The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-09
RESOLUTION THREAT


What else?" the Indiana representa-
tive persisted.
*Ah, there is no doubt in your mind.
or in mine as to that Mr.. Plumb re-
sponded. IF the forces of reaction pre-
vent the adoption of this program by
lawful means, we know the way of his
tory"
revolution is a word that should not
be used lightly" Mr.. Saunders observed.
II hope never to live to see the day
when the methods necessary go further
than those have outlined Mr.. Plumb
responded.
I'm essentials, this is the Russian SOW
let plan of industrial operation, is it
not?' Mr.. Saunders continued.
81 do not know anything about the
soviet plan Mr.. Plumb responded, or
rather am only familiar with the pop
u:ar misconception of what is the Rus
sian soviet plan
..Misconception?" Mr.. Saunders pounc-
ed on the expression. II am at a loss
to understand how you know the popular
understanding to be a misconcepton of
the soviet system unless you understand
as well what the understanding should
be-
well in popular understanding the
soviet is system by which a bunch of
worlSmen grab all the property and d.
vide it among themselves Plumb re-
torted. "And I cannot believe that such
a state of affairs could actually exist in
any society. 1t is inconceivable to me
that this should be the fact about the
Russian situation
There was change in the general
tenor of proceedings early in the day.
when Representative Webster repub-
lican. Washington, introduced a stack
of some hundreds of letters sent to him
threatening his removal from any post
r,nI r.r;tl hit
pie had intrusted him. in case Of oppo-
sition to the labor railroad plan. The
letters were printed on railroad brother
hood stationery. Mr.. Plumb said he de-
plored the phraseology of the letters and
would not indorse it.
Representative Winslow, republican,
Massachusetts, sought to bring out de-
tails of the application of the labor bill,
and Mr.. Plumb agreed that ''the plan can
be applied to every other socialized in
dustry based on d public grant or mo-
nopoly.''
Agreeing that shippers and railroad
users were not back of the plan. Mr..
mediate shipper is not concerned in
rates. He does not pay them
KNOW ALL ABOUT ROADS
do you think the proponents of this
bill have the right to arrogate all the
wisdom to themselves?" Mr.. Winslow con-
tinued, reach out and manage things
for the miAs..i;SL>sa shipper and railroads.
1.-THE shippers have represented labor
in the past" Mr.. Plub said: I'VE are
speaking for our own people. We pro-
pose this plan because we are sick of con-
flict. This is the day of the awaken
ing of the wage-earner. The men behind
this bill know as much about the rail-
roads as any body of men in this land
Mr. Plumb insisted there would be nc
difficulty in raising the money through
government bonds at 4 per cent to pay
for the roads and estimated the amount
necessary at $4,000, 10000
When his estimate of the amount neces-
sary was attacked Mr.. Plumb asserted
that the commerce commission valua-
ton Of the first five railroads shows that
the cost of reproduction new would be
only 80 per cent of the property account
as they have it."
These lines, Chairman Esch said. were
the Pere Marquette, Frisco, the Wabash
terminals, the Rock Island and the Mis-
souri,. Kansas and Texas
'.Al of them were roads supposedly
honestly financed Mr. Plumb INTERCEPT
ed. land there are numberless cases OF
roads that were not SO financed"
All stocks and bonds that did not repre-
sent actual values would be squeezed
out, he conceded. in the government pur-
chase, but in controversy with Represen-
tative Wlnslow as to the Justice Of this
policy. he said the courts would decide
ths legitimacy Of the payments