Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-17
BY N. O. MESSENGER.


are dead set against and unal-
terably opposed to the nationalist
ton of railroads. And. furthermore
Congress is holly resentful of the
threats of the railway brotherhoods
representatives to force their plan
upon the nation, with possibility OF
a great strike in event of refusal of
the demand.
Senators and representatives have
stated in open debate and others who
have not thus gone on record have
declared in private conversation that
they repented having yielded to
threats and coercion in passing the
Adamson bill three years ago, when
the railroad men forced it through
Congress under threat OF a strlke'
They assert that never again Will
they yield to threats. The railroad
measures are to be considered on
their merits, beyond the pale of
threatened force.
There is heard great deal OF L
told you so" in the conversation OF
the statesmen, referring to prophecies
they made three years ago of further
and more violent demands from the
railroad men in the future in case
the demands should be then granted.
The reasons assigned by congress-
men for their stone-wall opposition
to the pending
READY TO MEET demand of the
A "REvoLUTIoN." railway broth
erhoods are
twofold: First, it is charged that
the proposed naturalization of the
railroads is but the entering wedge
of sovietism: second. it is claimed
that many more millions of the pop
ulation than the railway men and
their families comprise are vitality
interested in and would be materially
harmed by setting up the plan OF the
brotherhoods for naturalization.
The latter consideration is held to be
a reasonable protection against a ma
tion-wide strike. Popular condemns
ton would be SO overwhelming IN
each community, it is argued, that the
railroad strikers would find life un-
endurable for them if they remained
out on strike and threatened the COM
munity with starvation, or freezing.
Men would be found to operate the
roads, somehow. it Is said, and men
would be quick to wreak actual v1o-
lence upon those who were subject
ing their families to starvation. The
railroad men have insinuated rev
oIution." In Congress there is a feel
ing that in such event there might be
a revolution against the railroad men
by the other elements of the popula-
tion, these "revolutionists" being
greatly in the majority.
+ + +
Senator Pomerene of Ohio. demo-
crat, wrote a letter the other day
to some railway
6olSHEvISM constituents of his
ITS ONLY KIN. in which he set
forth the case of
the opposition to the railway mems
demands in form, which, it is said, may
be adopted practically as text book,
or the brief for the defendant. A COM
mittee Of railroad men wrote him de-
manding his support Of the Plumb
plan 'in behalf of the masses Of the
people" Senator Pomerene in reply
wanted to know how these railway
operatives came to speak for the
masses of the people and inquired If
they were not rather speaking entire
1y for their own selfish interests.
Then he went on patiently to explain
to these railway constituents wherein
I they were in error in indorsing the
plap and prophesied that when the
rank and file of railway men came to
understand the plan they would re-
ject it incontinently as unamerican
in Every respect. unavoidable and not
to be entertained
/ Ny friends. the, Plumb plan has
nothing akin to it outside bolshevik
Russia" he wrote his constituents.
1T is worse than socialism. 1t spells
! ruin to America. 1t is the most
vicious piece of legislation that has
. been presented since / have been in
thes SENATE. I would feel that I was
contributing to the ruin not only of
; thef transportation system of the
. country. but to its industrial and
I financial breakdown, II voted for it.
am sure that sober second
thought will persuade you that this
bilH ought to be defeated"
Senator Myers Of Montana, demo.
crat. expressed the known views of
many senators
PLEDGES VOTE when. in the
AGAINST HoLo-UP. course of de-
bate in the
Sen te last week. he paid his respects
to he threats of the railroad men
and to the dement's. as he viewed
theh. of their demands.
The demands and threats of the
brotherhoods of railroad employees in
this instance resemble entirely toe
much the methods of a hold-up to
suit me-" he said. Congress is or.
dered to stand and deliver and 1,
it does not deliver is threatened wifi
dire disaster. I do not believe in
yielding to any such demand l voted
for the Adamson law in 1916 because
] had long believed in an eight-hou,
day in all industries. If that was 8
boId-up. as the senator from Mime
sofa (Mr. Nelson) seems to believe
it is no excuse for another AID fal
worse hold-up, and I will say tina
never in the future will any legisla
ton, as the result of hold-up, b,