Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-01-15
SAYS WAGE CONTROL MUST
CONE WITH FEDERAL CON.
rKoL OF RAILROADS.
OUTLINES HIS PLANS
FOR LEASING RAIL LINES
Fsvors Plan by Which Government
Would Own Properties and Lease
Thorn to Private Corporations FOR
Operation With Assured Profits OF
4 Per Cent on Invested Capital
s.so,ol "a rimes-Republican.

Special 20 Times Republican
waterloo, Jan. l5,--That seho'o'
Cunmins. long recognized as the ifl''"
NJ the labor!ngman, has been brought 10
change his views with reference 10 '"e
government hxing wages OF enlp!o!e'
Is Indicated in the text OF letter
ce;yed by the secretary or the "">N
loo Central Labor Union in response ~
/. ouerv as TO the senator's attituue Oh
.ha prorlem Of railroad ownership "S
otoctipr the wages Of employees Seha-
Tow l1tmulns outlines his plan OF gov
erurrtsn Mt control of railroads lhru '"e
oreration of companies, but states t""I
This plan. or any plan similar 10 H.
will result in the government HN'',7
the wages of employees. The senators
letter is as follows: .,
81 have your letter of the 9"th IN
slant relative to the readJuSuhehI VI
tn. relations between the soNefnlAe"'
and the railroads Of the country mas,
much as il seems probable that va
beeome chairman OF the lhIeES'''S
commerce committee OF the senate All
the next congress, ! intend insofar as
il is humanity possible TO keep an open
mind upon this big Fundamental! prov.
lem. I do not mean that the years
have given to the study and lnFest.7@
ton of this subject have not resulted
in some very definite opinions, oul II
does mean that l hold my views sup
ject to change II am convinced I"a'
truth. reason and justice require
change.
81 have not introduced a bill propos-
ing the reorganization which is OUT
lined in nv mind. but ! have been re-
peatedly interviewed by newspaper
men. and have developed the SUBJECT
&to some extent, in answer 10 their IN
ouiries. These interviews, as tAey
have been published are not very de-
pendable for, altho what l have SAID
has not been Intentionally perverted or
distorted. the limited grasp Of the SUD
iect by the inquirers has led to good
&many inaccuracies and, omissions.
Wage Question Arises.
$50 far as l remember, I have not
been asked with regard TO se'ue-
ment of labor disputes, and | assume,
therefore, that nothing has been salu
in the newspapers touching THIS Phase
of the question. II goes without say!hs
that no system for the regulation anu
:. control OF common carriers would De
complete without some provision IoI
the adjustment Of LABOR controversies
I'VE have in our present law pan
called mediation, Cancellation and arpl-
tration with which. of course, you are
entirely familiar. AS last amended II
received the approval, as l remember
of the four railway brotherhoods aItho
I confess. it was never quite satisfac-
tor to me. Before the government
7 took possession of the railroads III
December. 1917. the unions had uni
formly and PERSISTENT opposed any
system which gave to the government
or any department of the goSernment
the authority to fix absolutely either
wages or conditions of service. Wa
in sympathy largely with their We"
believing that the privilege OF coiIec-
tive bargainnG accompanied with the
right to strike Would, in the end, be
more likely to secure justice for the
men than would be attained thru a
final decision Of a government onlSer
or tribunal J always felt great con-
fidence in the judgment Of the chle1s
of the railway brotherhood upon TINS
point and my influence IN congress
was conscientiously exerted to sustain
a principle which seemed to me souno
Since the government has been in
the operation of the roads, 1t has fxeo
necessarily wages and conditions OF
labor, and the brotherhood men have
appeared TO be entirely satisfied WIFI
its action in that respect which ind!-
Gates 4 change Of policy on their part
so that have ] think, right to as
sumo that ar a matter Of principle
they 10 longer object TO the exercise
of this power on the part Of the gov
crnment.
His Ownership Plan.
In the reorganizatio of our system
of regulation and control, l nave beer
inclined to believe that there should of
public ownership Of all railroad facili-
ties and that this ownership should o.
Represented in capital with a guaran-
teed annual return Of. say, four pei
cent. If this can be accomplished il
will mean a saving to the people Of
the United States Of at least, 100000
900 per year in the capital charge ant
q, will eliminate forever the long con
tinued struggle between Is and 20 bill
gt.
s shipping public on the other. It /!
manifest that If this rather fundaman'
tai change is effected in ownership
with a guaranteed return, the govern
nlent ought to have power over ex
pendttures and so, rather reluctant!
but Inevitably, I am inclining TOWARD
the conclusion that my plan must in
volve the fixing Of wages BY the gov
eminent.
Is "All that remains is to select TIL
& best governmental agency for the per
sforrnance Of that duty, but look upol
that inquiry as a detail to be settles
gs upon careful study Of the situation.
you, of course. understand that tn
review I am giving you involves, no
government operation OF the railwa,
\ 4 properties. but operation by railwa
~ companies organized under the laws 0
the United States under leases ter