Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-10-01
GREAT STRIKE Of STEEL WORKERS
CHALLENGES INDUSTRIAL AuT0CRACY
Whole East Arousedb by Struggle Employers Violate Constitution
Much Speculation Conference Called by Wilson for 0co
Der 6-Plmb Plan Stops Rush to Return Roads-Deegates
Gather for international Labor Meeting Under League of Ma
tons-Lodge Quotes Miners as Against League.

public ownership; many OF them pri-
vatsly agree that it would be wise to
let the railroad situation drift, and
see how the government gets along''
with the existing arrangement.
Many Farmers Approve.
BENJAMIN c. Marsh, testifying be-
fore the house committee on Interstate
and foreign commerce, and spea King
for the Farmers National Committee
on Transportation, showed that the
farmers In many states are favorable
to the principles in the Plumb plan.
Marsh had sent out to the presidents
OF state Farmers unions and to the
masters OF state Oranges the ques-
ton: In your judgment, do the mem
bers*of your state organization favor
government ownership and democratic
operation Of the Railroads.&c."
To this query the president of the
Colorado State Farmers Union and
the president Of the California State
Farmers Union replied, Eyes" The
same answer, but in more vigorous
terms, came from Illinois, North Caro-
lima, Louisiana, Idaho, Oregon and
Washington and from J. N. Tittemore
OF the American Society of Equity.
The president of the Louisiana State
Farmers Union answered.: II feel
safe in saying now that 80 per cent of
the farmers in my state favor govern
ment ownership of the railroads and
democratic operation of the same,
The Louisiana State Farmers Union
has, for the past 10 years, demanded
government ownership not only of the
/ railroads but Of all public utilities,
these to be run In the interest of all
the people,"
International Labor Meet.
Delegates from Germany, Austria,
Hungary and Bulgaria are expected to
come to Washington next month, un-
der permission, rather than official in
Vitation, to attend and take part in the
first meeting Of the labor conference
provided for in the league of nations
pact.
The constitution of the labor Sec
t1on OF the league provides that only
member nations of the league shall
take part in its work. However, the
international Federation of Trade
Unions, reorganized at Amsterdam
IN July, voted against taking part
so far as spokesman for the organized
labor bodies should be concerned-un-
less the Germans and the other peo.
pies OF central Europe, excluded from
the league at present, were likewise
M M D.~sx
gates opposed this boycott, but with
out avail. The Washington gathering
promised to be fat failure,
Then someone interested in the sue.
cess or the plan, and still friendly to
the Amsterdam decision, privately Sc
cured the consent of Samuel Gompers.
Lloyd George and Clemenceau to keep
still on the issue of German delegates,
Unofficial assurance went to Berlin,
| Vienna, Budapest and Sofia. The Ger
mans are coming, at their own initia-
| tive, and the other three delegations
Will probably follow. When they ar
| rive, the members Of the conference
Will decide as to whether they shall be
admitted. The decision will be affirm.
alive, 1t is understood, in order to
make 1t possible for the delegates
from France, Italy, Switzerland, Nor
way, Sweden, Denmark, Holland and
other countries to remain.
There Is a possibility that the
American delegates will not get into
the conference at the start. Until the
treaty shall have been ratified by the
senate, the United States is outside
the league Of nations, and hence it's
delegates are on the same footing with
tnose from Germany or Bulgaria. Ses-
s1ons are to begin on October 20.
The Treaty Issue.
Henry Cabot Lodge, senior senator
from Massachusetts,, does not often
publicly recognize the organized work.
Ing man or the farmer as an important
element In the making of national
policy, but the other day he put be-
fore the senate long press dispatch
which told OF the actions of the con-
vention of the United Mine Workers
OF American upon the Paris treaty.
The coal miners, numbering some
half million men, had thus far been
represented by their international
union officials as being solidly lined
up for the ratification OF the treaty
and the league OF nations Their dele
gates in convention at Cleveland
voted down a resolution offered by
their general secretary-treasurer, Will
liam Green, and approved by their
resolutions committee, urging the
senate to ratify the treaty and league
at once, without amendments. Then
the miners voted to table the whole
subject, as being one Of purely po-
lit1cal character.
In the senate arguments, pro and
con, the opposition appears to get the
major part Of the applause from the
galleries, at least. They are able to
appeal to many of our most cherished
sentiments; whereas those who favor
ratification without change have only
the appeal of the best possible bust
ness arrangement under the circum-
stances. The question, for instance,
of why we should have only one vote
| In the league assembly to Great
Britain's six comes under this head.
Wilson men reply that we have equal
voice In the council, but this does not
allay national pride nor answer the
question as to why Great Britain has
the extra five il they are of no use.
HOW ANY GIRL CAN