Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-08-18
MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED
.N pRFaA
MONDAY AUG
THE PRESIDENTS CONCEALED
HAND.

HAND.
1t is well for the country to know
all the facts regarding the formation
of policies and the mainsprings of
events. 1t is well that the country
should understand just what President
Wilson wants now, and what he has
done in the past regarding matters of
public interest President Wilson is
the most secretive of men. He be-
lieves in publicity for others, but when
it comes to his own policies he wants
to keep them shrouded in darkness.
He wants the people to trust him, but
he is not willing to trust the people.
We were astounded when A. b.
Garretson, former chief of the Broth
erhood of Railway Conductors said in
his evidence before the house commit
tee on interstate commerce. that the
scheme to force the Adamson bill
through congress in 1916 was charge
able not to the brotherhoods, but to
the president of the United States.
Here is what Mr.. Adamson said:
1.-THE four brotherhoods were forced
into congress unwillingly Only the
influence and power and request of
the president of the United States ever
got us there. We went there in spite
of our own desire to settle the ques-
ton by our own methods,
No coercion was used on any member
of congress"
For seven days The Journal has re-
Trained from comment on this testi-
mony because it believed denial
would come from the White House.
But not only has there been no denial,
there has been neither comment nor
explanation, even from Secretary
Tumulty.
We all remember how in 1916 the
country was faced with a general
strike unless congress passed bill
granting an enormous increase in
salaries and wages to the conductors,
engineers, brakemen and firemen--
already the highest paid employees in
the world. The country was in
panic and there was a threat that
business would be paralyzed COM
pletely.
Mr. Garretson says the four broth
erhoods were forced into congress un-
willingly, and that "only the influence
and power and request of the presi-
dent got us there. We went in spite
of our own desire to settle the ques-
ton by our own methods"
The president was standing for re-
election and he wanted the brother
hoods solidly back of him. and got
what he wanted. He created a panic
in the country. but was very clever
to avoid allowing his own hand to be
seen in the movement. He engineered
it up to congress--a democratic con-
gress-and forced that body to put
through a bill made necessary by his
own influence-which influence he
was careful to keep from the people.
That the president is back of the
Plumb bill, we may well believe, as
something of the sort was forecast in
his address to congress May 10, when
he said:
I'VE cannot go any further in our
present direction. We have already
gone too far. We must find another
road, leading in another direction and
to different destination. 1t must
lead not merely to accommodation,
but also to a genuine cooperation and
partnership based upon a real com
munity of interest and participation
in control The object of allsreform
in this essential matter must be the
genuine characterization of industry,
based upon a full recognition of those
who work, in whatever rank, to par
ticipate in some organic way in every
decision which directly affects their
welfare or the part they are to play
in industry"
Upon this statement the shopmen
and the four brotherhoods and the
other railroads unions claim they have
the support of the president Read
what he says and see if they have
justification: He says there must be
genuine cooperation and PARTNER
SHIP BASED UPON A REAL COM
MUNITY OF INTEREST AND PAR
TICIPATION IN CONTROL"
1t is further said by the president
that business must be democratized
so that those who participate in it
will have right to take part in max
ing its decisions.
We may take it for granted in view
of the undisputed revelation by Mr.
Garretson, that the president not only
engineered the threat of strike and
the consequent bulldozing of the con-
gress and cotntry. but that he is the
inspirer of the Plumb plan by which
II is expected to take the railroads