Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-31
Action Delayed for at Least
a Year by Referring 1t to
Committee for Study.
G0MPERS is RETICENT
AS TO r. R. SHOPMEN
Hopeful That Steel Trade Contro-
versy Will Be Adjusted Without
Resorting to Drastic Action.

The Plumb plan for disposing of
the railroads does not carry the in
dorsement of the American Fedora
ton of Labor or of Samuel Gompers,
president of that organization. When
the Plumb plan was exploded upon
Congress it was announced that 1t
represented the wishes of the big
four" railroad brotherhoods and the
American Federation of Labor.
That the American Federation of
Labor desires to go on record as not
indorsing that proposal appears from
statement made by Mr.. Gompers
after the meeting of the executive
council last evening. He said that
because the railroad problem is of
such vital importance to organized
labor and to the American people.
| the executive council, after careful
consideration. had decided not to in
dorse the Plcmb plan or. any other
plan at this time. but had authorized
a subcommittee to make a careful in
vestigation of all facts and conditions
before American Federation Of Labor
Endorsement would be given any par
ticular form of legislation.
Plumb Ownership Plan.
Discussing briefly what was done
at the sessions of the executive
council in connection with the
Plumb plan, Mr.. Gompers said:
The executive council had before
| it the representatives of the labor
bair xvh r
favored the Plumb plan of railway
| ownership or railway control and
| administration. The council consid-
cred the plan, as well as the provi-
sions of the Sims bill. dealing with
this important subject. The plan and
the bill, SO the council declared, are
| of such transcendent importance to
labor, to the people and to the
country that the council decided to
defer final action determining the
position of the American Fedora
ton of Labor thereon, and that In
| the meantime a subcommittee was
created for the purpose of examin-
ing into all the facts and evidence
obtainable, and to secure the advice
a full understanding of the subject.
The subcommittee, after its examina-
ton and investigation, is to report to
the executive council of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor upon the
entire subject. There were other
matters of Importance considered,
but these by us are regarded hardly
of public interest.
Mr.. Plumb explained to the dele
gates of the American Federation OF
Labor at the recent session of that
body in Atlantic City his plans for
the handling of the railroads. No ac-
ton was taken on the suggestion
further than to refer the whole mat
ter to the executive council foF re-
port after investigation. 1t was DEEM
ed to be a formative or experimental
idea at that time, and many OF the
leaders of the national organized Ia
bor movement still believe it to be
impracticable Of application to the
great administrative and financial
task of managing and operating the
railroads.
Cable Proposes Controversy.
During Mr.. Gompere short stay in
Paris. en- route back to America from
his trip to Amsterdam, where he went
as Americas chief representative in
the organization of the International
Trade Federation, an interview was
cabled to this country quoting Mr.
Gompers as having given his unquaii-
6ad nersonal and official endorsements
to the Plumb plan. Friends or the
labor chief resented such a story.
forcefully asserting that neither Mr..
coupers nor the American Fedora
+,on of Labor had Endorsed the Plumb
nlan. while some of those leaders
vent further and declared that the
American Federation OF Labor would
never indorse the plan
When MIR. Gompers- arrived in New
York the first of the past week he was
saan nv Mr.. Plumb, but declined to
discuss the matter, only saying that
he would choose the time and place
when he would discuss the subject
However. it was claimed by friends of
Mr. plumb and mis- plan that Mr..
Gompers had given it his Endorsement.
This was promptly oSHu W IAA.
Gompers' friends.
Now that Mr.. Gompers has spoken
and the plan has been referred back
to the executive council. every doubt
as to the attitude of the American
Federation of Labor in this connection
is removed. The executive council
meets in fall session October 6. at
which time it is probable that this mat
ter will come up in the form Of q
report, but If SO such report must be
sent to the next annual convention OF
the American Federation Of Labor for
disposition.
y Steel Crisis Negotiations.
Efforts to organize the workers in
the steel industry still are being made
with the hope that an amicable adjust
ment of their demands may be reach
ed before any outbreak or cessation of
work shall be inaugurated," Mr..
Gompers said yesterday in statement.
The council has been in session three
days considering the general labor
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