The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-05

general courts of the land are not
equipped either with the knowledge or
the power to obtain Information In ref
erence to the cardinal facts that must
decide the controversy.
III YOU want a final and just solution
OF such controversy you are practically
driven to leaving the decision to a gov
ernmental commission that has full and
cmpIe opportunity to investigate the rate
of wages, the earning power OF the
transportation the cost Of living, the
burden that tests on the shipping pub
lie, and after fair and full investiga-
ton to determine what Is a fair. just
and living wage for the men and to how
great an extent a fair. just and living
wage may be increased to enable the
toilers to secure the higher Ideals OF life
and living second, how far this charge
can be placed on the capital OF the cor
poration without breaking 1t down, de-
stroying the value of Its securities
bankrupting its property and taking
away from the investing public fair
return for capital invested; third, how
far an increased charge for labor, inter-
est or supplies can be handed down to
the pubuc-without doing injustice to the
shipper and traveller and without be.
coming a menace to the development ot
tie industry of the country.
"All OF these questions must be de-
termined by a court or an Independent
commission, but their findings, except
so far as they may determine the rate
that must be paid by the railroad COM
panies and the rate of wage that must
be received by the men II they continue
their employment, will be academic be-
cause they will have no power to operate
on the side of the problem in which, the
;o int al
Power to FIX Rates.
''The power to determine just and
reasonable rates OF transportation of
persons and property over the interstate
ra ilroads Of this country is fixed by
law, and any increase or decrease Of
these rates must be made under the Jaw
of the land. Therefore II is essential
that the board or commission that is
given the power to adjust the wage scale
OF the men must also have the power to
reflect its findings into the rates charged
for the transportation of persons and
property over the railroads.
THE board or commission that is
created for the determination of these
grave questions must determine whether
the rates for transportation shall be in
creased and whether a charge made
shall remain a charge on its capital or
whether in justice and fair dealing II
shall be handed on to the shipping and
the travelling public.
Men will not strike against the just
decisions of the Government. After a
fair determination of the controversy
by an impartial tribunal public opinion
will force the contending parties to ac-
cept the verdict rendered as final"
In the speech by Senator Williams,
who. followed Senator Underwood, a Bit
ter denunciation OF the Plumb plan was
| embodied. 1t was. he asserted, the
cornerstone Of sovietism."
Every one knows as a matter of
practical common sense that II railroad
labor undertook a general strike Il would
be a conspiracy to interrupt and para
lyze interstate commerce, with an Interior
purpose of compelling Congress to &C
, cept a legislative programme. Every one
knows that in such a case half of the
babies in New York. in Chicago and In
other cities might very well starve.
There must be tribunal to compel
Industrial peace within the nation in
precisely the same way as there must
be a league of nations to enforce world
peace. We have got to fight this thing
out some day and we might as well fight
| Il out now. We have a middle class
| here. which upon provocation will fight.
| which can fight and knows how to fight,
| and II Is not to be bullied and not to be
cowed by capital or sovietized. Russian
lied. misrepresentation labor