Evening journal., 1919-08-11
Get Ready for a Strike to
Force Government Ownership

10 operation by. the companies. intend
TO let the labor leaders, by threaten
ing or calling strikes. force The tax
paying public TO buy the railroads and
assume complete responsibility for their
financial results. and then force the
public to turn the railroads over to the
'employes % manager If3 the public
doesn't intend 10 submit TO this, IL must
begin very soon TO manifest its purpose
to the President and the Congress OF
the United states and to demand that
they adopt effective measures for the
publics protection.
1T is easy TO sympathize with the
comploint OF The employees that the
benefit Of the billion-dollar a year ad-
vance in wages which has been given
them under government operation has
been nullined by the increase in the
cost Of living. The real question. how
ever is whether the railway employees
are better entitled TO further advances
in wages than the public is TO immu-
nifty from the increase in taxes or 10
freight and passenger rates which fur
ther advance in wages would make
necessary. The claim made for the en-
ployes plan Of government ownership
and employees management that Il
would stop increases in the general
cost OF living, and even cause reduc-
tions i'm it, is Of all claims that could
be made for it the most preposterous,
lt is said that a large saving in the rail-
way capital charge would be made un-
der this plan because the government
could issue bonds bearing Z per cent
inter est 10 buy the roads. But every
body knows that the government had
finally TO pay az per cent. interest 10
raise money to carry on the war; and
that government bonds are now selll-
ing in the market at rates that YIELD
practically per cent and II is an in
suit 10 the intelligence Of the American
people 10 claim that the government
could raise at 4 per cent. the many bill
lions that would be required 10 buy the
railroads.
second. 10 is claimed that if the rail
roads were turned over TO the manage
ment Of a board two-thirds OF whose
members were appointed by persons on
their roll, vast economies in operating
tAptlsts COuiu De eHecIeu Dy unlfleQ
operation and better cooperation be-
tween the officers and employees. But,
we have unified operation already; and
at least 90 per cent. Of the railroad
operating officials OF the United States
are Of the opinion that the Plum Plan
would destroy the last yestlge Of efil- |
cheney in the operation OF the railroads.
Now, whatever would destroy efficiency
In the operation Of the railroads would |
tend 10 increase the cost OF
living.
III the railroad labor organizations |
we're disposed to rely entirely upon |
propaganda for the promotion OF the
Plumb Plan their advocacy Of Il would |
sfford no ground for concern. Any per-
ION with even an elementary knowledge
II economics and railway operation can
that the Plumb Plan is
economically unsound in every particu-
ar and that its adoption would result
llsastrously TO the public and in the
ong run 30 railway employees them
elves. But unfortunately IL is daily
becoming more evident that the rail
oad labor organizations do not intend
o rely entirely on propaganda to Sc i
ure the adoption OF their PLAN