The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1919-08-07
Dem ANDS R.R. BILL
Be ACCEPTED
Labor Leaders Appear Before
House Committee.
SEEK INDUSTRIAL FREEDOM
Stone Declares America Will See ats
Very Worst Period" Unless Cost
Of Living is Lowered.

Washington, Aug. sharp views
Of leaders Of organized labor on eco
nomic problems We're developed at
the opening of hearings before the
on labOr's plan for the control of rail-
roads by the public, the operating
arrangements and labor.
(This plan is embodied in the Sims
bill, which, in fact, is the so-called
Plumb plan, providing a tripartite
control of the roads. 1t was intro
diced in the house by Mr.. Sims, Dem
Ocrat, Tennessee, who said he acted
on request and was not to be held
as favoring all features of the meas
ure.)
Warren S. Stone, grand chief Of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers,
said labor might advocate a firing
squad for profteers and declared that
unless congress found solution of
the high cost Of living problem within
a few months, America would see sits
very worst period"
'"The people are not going to
starve," said he. "They are going to
die fighting" He added that the time
would come when all prices would be
fixed by the government.
Frank Morrison, secretary of the
American Federation of Labor, told
the committee that If laber's plan for
public ownership and cooperative op-
Grafton of the railroads proved sue
cessful, they proposed to have it ap-
piled to other industries.
Labor, he said, would not be disap-
pointed if it failed to have it's rail-
road plan adopted Immediately. 1t
simply would grid itself for the edu-
eating of its workers to the point
where congress would be sufficiently
impressed.
When Mr.. Stone was asked particu-
larry concerning statements from I'M
ion leaders that they would ''sew up
the railroads" he said:
sa ut is the .rankest kind OF nonsense
TO say they will not run If this plan
fails of adoption. We know they will
run; the government will operate
them because the people must live
and railroads are essential to their
welfare"
He expressed the opinion that many
railroads would be thrown into bank
ruptcy if turned back to private own
ership.
'Do you happen to know Of any
body who did not get all they could
out of the WARP" asked Representa-
tive Montague, Democrat, Virginia.
ST don't know Of anybody" Stone
replied. Labor got all it could"
Eyes. Well" Mr.. Montague pro-
ceeded, "you know somebody who did
not get all they should have got-the
soldiers and sailors in France
Stone replied he quite agreed with
that, adding that somebody else got
the soldiers share.
Mr.. Stone appeared as the first wit
ness at the hearing Of the Plumb
plan.
Labor now demands, he said, that
America become the home Of indus
trial freedom, as it has become a land
of political freedom.
Declaring that American democracy
was controlled by an autocracy In in
dustry, Mr.. Stone argued that there
could be no solution and no lowering
Of the cost Of living as long as con-
sumers had to pay extortionate profits
on their own earnings in purchasing
the necessaries Of life.
Labor's belief in the Sims bill was
declared by Mr.. Stone to be profound.
In this plan, he said, the workers
raised the banner Of democracy In
control Of industry and advanced "to
a new crusade with the faith Of the
pilgrims"
The so-called Plumb plan, the tri-
partite control of railroads, as sug-
gested by the railroad brotherhoods,
and backed by the American Fedora
ton of Labor, provides for manage
ment of the lines by board, ON which
the public, operators and employees
shall be equally represented.
Under the plan present owners will
be reimbursed, in the language Of the
propocal, "for every honest dollar
they have invested"
The operating management and Ia
Dor will share equally in the corpor-
alton to take over the railroads.
All revenue in excess Of the guar
antee to private capital shall be di-
vided half to the operating manage
ment and employees and half to the
public, "either by increasing the
means Of service without increasing
the fixed charges or by reducing the
cost of the service which the machin-
cry teen in service can render"