The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-09-09
RAILROADS AND
 FUTURE PROSPERITY
By HOLLAND


 New York, September 7.-(Special.) )-One who also was in the past prominently associated with railroad construction, promotion and development always with success. spoke a few weeks ago of the
 labor difficulties, and of the embarra ss-
 ment which is represented by the rail- road situation and also of the mobiliza- ton of American resources to the end that Europe can be successfully financed and our own prosperity maintained and increased. It is a characteristic ot this very able man that he is unwilling to speak for publication if his name is great, his courage successfully tested and was formerly in frequent association with MT. Morgan, he is therefore qualified to speak in an informal semi confidential manner, giving his impression of the present day situation and of the possible remedy.
 In this manner he spoke a few weeks ago, desiring to express no more than his own views of the best method of restoring normal conditions and especial ly of, establishing a new and highly sat- isfactory relation between the men who work for wages and the men who pay the wages.
 Today what he then said seems to have been prophetic. For the so-called Cummins railroad bill which has already received considerable approval and the conference in October between the rep reSentatives of American industries and railroads with those who are the leaders and not the political or partizan point of view. Second, he believed that If it could be arranged either by agreement or legislation to have the labor that is
 employed by the railroads share in all
 profits in excess of six per cent, which IS a reasona ble sum to pay in the form of dividends and furthermore if labor IS permitted, representation upon the board or upon an appropriate committee named by the board, then speedily the differences which have characterized the relation of labor to capital in the world of railroad affairs will disappear Then again it seemed to him that the great industrial corporations might es- tablish cordial relation with their em- ployees if the employees were permitted to take some part in the direction of the affairs of the corporation or in other
 words were represented by some of the ltdueTS upon ln6 DOdfQ OL ulTctuoFS M upon appropriate committee.
 If this were done both sn the case of the railroads and the industries then men competent by experience to give in
 formation respecting the just needs or labor and on the other hand men eompe- tent by experience to set forth the con- ditions necessary for successful manage ment of railroads or industries could meet, discuss and finally come to sat-
 isfactory agreement
 THE CUMMINS BILL The bill which Senator Cummns of Iowa has prepared and introduced might in some of it's features be taken as an
 echo of some of the things this man of great affairs suggested Senator Cummins bill. if it became a law, would after six per cent net had been earned by
 the railroads as a basis for dividends authorize the distribution ofrany surplus upon fifty-fifty basis. the employees receiving%on l.alf and the railroad com pany the other half Furthermore should this bill become g law employees will be represented in the management
 Something of this kind apparently was