Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-12
LEAN To PLUMB
PLAN FOR Rail
.LINES OF LAND
Boilermakers Go On Record For
Government Ownership and
Democratic Control

That railroad men Of this vicinity
are much interested in the question
of ownership and control of the
railroads of the United States is
evidenced in the resolutions adopt
ed recently by the international
Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron
Ship Builders and Helpers of Amer
lea, local lodge No. 377, and which,
at the request Of the lodge, are
appended:
Whereas, there is now pending
before congress and the people of
the United States a plan for the
reorganization, control, and opera
ton of the railways of the nation,
known as the Plumb plan" which
offers not only a constructive solu-
tion of the whole problem but is
also just and equitable alike to the
present owners, to he management
and employees. and to the general
public; and
Whereas, This plan involves (a)
* just and equitable valuation of
: the properties; (b) public owner
ship; (c) democratio control in
which the workers, the manage
ment, and the public all have equal
share; (d) efficient management
stimulated by a sharing Of the
profits equally between the public
and the employees; Isl provisions
for the automatic reduction of rates
to the basis of actual cost of ser
vice; and other commendable fea-
lures; and
Whereas, This plan has been Of
ficially endorsed and its adoption is
now being urged by organizations
representing six millions of MEM
bers, viz, (a) the four big brother
hoods of railway employes-engin-
GERS, firemen, conductors and train
men; OBJ the ten brotherhoods of
railway crafts-carmen, switchmen,
clerks, machinists, electrical work
Ners, boilermakers, blacksmiths,
sheet metal workers, maintenance
of way and telegraphers; (c) or
CARNATIONS of farmers representing
a million members; I'D the ma
tional nonpartisan league; the pub
lie ownership league of America,
ETC.; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That we hereby ap-
prove and endorse the said Plumb
plan of railway reorganization as
embodied in the measures present
ed and now pending in congress;
and be it further
Resolved, That we urge upon our
representative in congress that
they use their utmost endeavors to
secure the passage of those meas
ures, giving them not only their
voice and vote, but also their active
and aggressive support, warning
them that in this case no mere
stereotyped and evasive reply, and
no Iukewarm nor Indifferent sup
port will be accepted as satisfactory
to watch, record, and remember the
action; and that it is out intention
to watch, record and remember the
record of every member of congress
on this, to us and the nation, the
most vital and fundamental matter;
and be it further
Resolved, That we call upon all
organizations of labor, all workers
on farm, in factory, mine and busi-
ness places-all workers of hand
and brain-upon all civic organiza-
lions and progressive bodies having
the just solution of this problem at
heart-in short upon all the great
mass of common people of this ma
sl6n, to Join with US in securing the
passage of these measures and the
successful operation of this plan, at
the same time pledging our loyal
support and cooperation to all
bodies working sincerely to this
end; and be it further
Resolved, That copies Of this
restitution be forwarded to our rep
resentative in congress and in the
senate, with personal letter urg-
ing their attention and support;
that copies be sent to Glenn E.
Plumb, 40 Munsey building, Wash
ington, D. c., counsel for the rail-
way brotherhoods, to the Public
Ownership League of America, 1439
Unity building, Chicago, and to, the
press, that tn matter may be given
as wide publicity as possible.
The Glen E. Plum plan for rail-
road Reorganization is endorsed by
practically all workers of rail-
roads in the United States, and as
the idea embodied in the resolu-
ton is more fully explained in an
address on Government Owner
ship and Railroad Organization"
given by Hugh Reid of the United
States department of labor, at the
request of the local lodge No. BIT
NShe full text of the address is ap-
peaded:
The most important fact to
have in mind in considering the
railroad problem is that we have
neither government ownership nor
government operation al present.
What we have is private ownership
with guaranteed dividends, plus
private operation tinctured by d
large degree OF public regulation.
There are two advantages to be
gained by government ownership.
One has to do with ownership and