Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1919-09-18
PLAN TO REPEAT
ATTACK OF 1916
Railway Employees Chiefs Ap-
pear at Washington With New
Threat to Congress.
ASK $1,000, oOo, 900 MORE PAY
Also Demand Naturalization Of Other
Industries, Following Example OF
Russian SovietS.

Washington.-It is just three years
since the four leaders of the railway
brotherhoods, having refused arbitra'
ton of their demands, sat in the gal
Iery of the United States Senate and
held their watches ON the Senators
while the memorable vote was being
taken on the Adamson Law that gave
them $60,0O0,O00 additional wages q
year. When the vote was counted and
announced the four labor chiefs rushed
out to the telegraph Office and with
drew the order for a nationwide
strike.
That such a scene may be again en-
acted on a much greater scale Is indi-
Gated by the startling developments
at the nations capital in the past few
days. Now the $4,000 men in the
brotherhoods have been Joined by
more than a million other railroad
workers-shopmen, trackmen, tele-
graphers, clerks, station agents-and
the demands are many times what
they were three years ago.
A Thousand Million Dollars.
On top Of a thousand million dollars
Of added wages granted by the Gov
eminent in the past year and half,
the allied workers aresasking for an
other increase Of thousand million
dollars.
But more than this, this great body
Of railroad employees has served an
ultimatum on the Government that oil
the railroads of the country must be
taken away from their owners and
turned over to the employees to be op-
Grated by them OH cOmmunistic
profit sharing plan.
The plan is as daring as any con-
ceived by the Russian BOlshevists, and
behind it Is the threat of a nationwide
strike, with the leaders Of the men sit
ting In the Senate gallery, watches In
hand, counting the vote.
To Tie Up All Transportation.
1--WE will tie up the railroads so that
they will never run again II we do not
get what we want" announced one of
the labor spokesman, standing within
a stones throw of the Capitol, and
this amazing announcement, like an
ultimatum from leader of the Rus
sian Soviet, was instantly flashed over
the telegraph wires to every part of
the country.
Since the frst Brotherhood bomb
shell exploded in Washington at the
end Of July, the fact has leaked out
that the brotherhoods are gathering
propaganda fund of $1O,OO0,0OO for
an intensive drive on Congress. Three
million dollars, it is announced, has
already been collected from the men,
bers of the unions. This will be used In
campaign work in the Congressional
districts, with the purpose of enlist
ing the votes of the members of
Congress, or of defeating them for
reelection If they do not vote as the
brotherhoods dictate. Money will also
be lavishly spent, 1t Is stated, in send
ing speakers throughout the country
to stir up the enthusiasm of organized
labor for the brotherhood plan of
railroad operation.
"NationaIizing" All Industry.
"If we don't get what we want out
Of this Congress we will put this
Congress out and put another one in
that will give us what we want" is
the matter-of-fact announcement of
the central propaganda office of the
1 H. ,,I I, fr, rhs
Back of the immediate purpose to
gain control Of the railroads Is an
even deeper scheme to gain control of
all great industries, taking them from
heir owners and putting them under
he direct management of the organic !
I'd workers, as has been done in Rus
ia, and as they are attempting to do |
n Germany and Austria.
The reports Of the United States
Railroad administration show that the |
Government, since 1t took over the |
'oads in December, 1917, has increased |
abroad wages by considerably more
han a thousand million dollars, and |
bout $500, 000,O 900 a year is being TAX
III Out VI Tic INdLlOudi Treasury lO |
meet the deficit caused by the great |
Increase in labor cost.
Big Wage Increases.
The principal advances in wages
ave been: To shopmen, $36000O,00O; !
o unskilled labor, $225, 100000; to the
rain brotherhoods, $2OO,OOO,OOO; to
Jerks, S125, 000, 900; to telegraph and
tation agents. $1OO,OO0,OOO; to mis-
ellaneous classes, $1100O0,O00
All Of these groups are now demand
ng additional increases of from 80 to
0 per cent. When the Government
ook control Of the roads the average
arnlngs of all railroad workers, In
luding several hundred thousand un-
killed workers. was 81 900 year. &he
verage 10 now more than $1,000 nd
he new demands would raise tito
2 1000. 4