The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-06-14
Council for Railroad Brother
hoods Presents Plans to
Federation
>
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP
WOULD REDUCE EXPENSES
Organized Labor Favors I'M
mediate Acquisition of Ali
Railroads.

{
Atlantic City, N. J., June 10.-A
proposal that organized labor insist
on public ownership of the railroads
OF the country was submitted today
to the delegates attending the recon
struetion convention of the American
Federation Of Labor by Glenn p.
Plumb, counsel for the railroad broth
erhoods. Representative of the rail-
road workers received unanimous con-
sent from the convention for Mr..
Plunnb to explain the plan, the salient
their inaosement. The speakers
statement that the ownership Of the
system should be, acquired imne-
diately was greeted with prolonged
applause. The cheering was renewed
when Mr.. Plumb said that with the
government substituting government
bonds for outstanding securities the
railroads would be removed from the
dictatorship OF Wall Street"
Government ownership of the rail
transportation systems, said the
speaker, would mean an annual saw
ing IN interest costs of from $780,
e0e, 900 to $500, 100000 annually, and
probably would permit reduction OF
10 per cent in current transportation
rates. The plan as detailed by Mr..
Plumb proposes the operation OF the
roads by single corporation regu-
lated by and accountable to the gov
ernment for all its acts and expendi-
lures.
Such corporation" said the
spokesman for the brotherhoods.
would require no capital.
sH should be organized under fed
eFaI laws It should be authorized to
take and hold and operate these prop
4ertiesf under the ~ regulatory
powers ef the government. It should
be required to meet all costs Of op-
GRAFTON and fixed charges upon the
capital employed, which had been
guaranteed by. the government. "A GER
tain agreed percentage Of the net re-
sulfs of operation should belong to it.
The stock of this corporation should
be held in trust for the benefit Of the
employees. The earnings should con-
stitnte trust fund to be declared as
a dividend on the amounts paid to the
labor which it employs, every en-
ployee receiving that participation Of
this fand which his annual wage bore
to the annual compensation Of all en-
ployees.
.The affairs of the corporation
should be administered by board of
directors which tentatively, it is sug-
sested, should be selected in the fol-
.One-third Of the directors to be
elected by the classified employees
below the grade OF appointed officials,
one-third by the appointed officers
and employees; the final third being
appointed by the president Of the
! United States.
.eTais board of directors should
have~power to appoint all officers
from president down TO the point
where employment begins by classi-
sfscation of all other employees.
The socalled Plumb plan already
has been presented to the executive
council of the federation. The coun-
ell, in it's report, now before the con-
ference, recommends that the con-
yention indorse government owner
ship of the railroads.
Almost 100 resolutions were sub
nitted today but were not made pub
lie owing to delay in having them
tabulated and printed. AS an indica-
ton of the feeling Of the convention
toward extremists and advocates Of
violence, virtually all the delegates are
wearing red white and blue buttons
in their lapels with the buttons
American Citizens-Loyal to Consti-
tutienal Government"
Harry Boland, special envoy Of
the Irish Republic" arrived today to
explain the aims of Sim Feiners. AS
he was unable to obtain passports he
made his way to the United States as
a stocker on a freighter. While
routine. business was being transacted
crowds of delegates gathered about
him. and: listened to his exposition Of
the objects of his party.