The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-08-10
Public Ownership Fight May
Not Stop Until Grant
and Privilege Cease" it is
Asserted.
AUTHOR QUIZZED BY
HOUSE COMMITTEE
Plan Of Brotherhoods APP
piled to Postoffice De
partment Would Give
Greater Efficiency Plumb
Says. s

Washington. Aug. 9.-organized la
bor will not attempt to impose the
Plumb plan for railroad control on
other Industries inless the employees
and public desire it. and the fight for
public ownership of utilities will not
stop until IL has reached a point where
grant and privilege cease" This was
the message delivered by Glenn K.
Plumb, speaking as iabor's representa-
tive 10 the house interstate commerce
committee.
Again Plumb pounded the table and
denied fn terms calculated. he said.
20 brook no repetition OF the charge
that the railroad brothcrhoods had at
tempted BY threats Of violence or
strikes, TO force congress TO adopt MS
plan for control OF the railroads by the
public. operating officials and en-
ploycs. The denial was first made I'm
m abatement from Piumb's office sign
ed by heads OF the fifteen brotherhoods
and while Plumb was answering not
Fire Of questions by Representative
pewalt democrat. OF Pennsylvania
who. wanted 70 know where the. new
idea would stop.
Continuing his testimony today be-
fore the house interstate commerce
COMMITTEES, he declared that II the plan
of the brotherhoods for control or the
railroads were applied to the post OIL
flee department that government agen Z
cy would be conducted with greater
efficiency.
THE .postoffice department" said
Mr.. Plumb. in reply to Representative
<xf
wanted TO know IL 1t was the idea to
divorce the railroads from politics, lis
the only great industry politically man
ayed do not want to be under
stood as saying that 1T is not efficient
w managed. But do believe the post
office department would show a higher
degree of efficiency If operated under
the democratic principles of this bill
Concerning the provision in the bill
for purchase of railroad property. Mr..
Montague asked:
would you pay for a double track
built from the earnings of single
track7'
mo: all money put back in such
property out of the payment of the
public for service belongs to the pup
lie and should not be included. sue
cess or failure of the plan. Plumb said,
must be found in the fifteen directors.
ten or whom would be named by rail-
way employees Discussing the tremen-
dous power vested in the directorate,
Plumb said there was no fear on the
part of labor OF creating situation
beyond control OF the people.
Have you ever found undue repres-
sion in the management of railroads
10 prevent the rise OF employees to
highest rank in the service Mr.. Mon
tesgue asked
mo repression In certain kinds OF
initiative.' the witness said
Aren't the majority OF highest
priced railroad employees men who
went from the bottom7"
sThe ablest and perhaps the major
fty, yes. But they were not advanced
by the employees. but by autocrats who
felt they could get more out OF hu-
man effort of others. Under our plan
nothing but efficiency can hold any
mans job in this organization"
Mr.. Montague in asking about the
methods of selection. said during the
civil war some Confederate companies
elected their captains and added. The
result probably didn't show the wis
dom OF it,
II never heard OF that" Plumb re-
piled. "but in this last war we had
some able officers. and If privates had
been permitted to select them. we
would have had more
II don't care to argue that with you.'
the Virginia member said
Representative Dewalt. democrat. o.
Pennsylvania, questioned the witness
regarding the attitude of labor in the
event the Plumb bin failed of passage
I There has been great deal of mis-
representation published" Plumb said
1T was stated that we would force 3
strike il this plan failed. No one evel
said that. In fact, such a report wa:
denied BY Mr.. stone, Mr.. Morrison
and myself. The fact is certain wag,
demands are pending. and the question
Of a strike arose in connection will
mat. This is different matter. 1t Il
. question of craftsmanship and W,
would be blind to our own interests i
we attempted such methods as threats
~trikes