Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-07
ROADS LOOTED
BY MONEY KINGS
PLUMB CLAIMS
Wall Street Plumbers All
Public transportation
Lines He Charges.

w WdSn1uBCOH, aug (.-LeaQlng
directly from Wall street, and
from the banking houses controlled
directly by the Morgan and Rookie
feller groupes," information which
has come into the possession of the
railroad brotherhoods shows that
there has proceeded a systema-
tized plundering of virtually all of
the public transportation highways
in the United States" the house in
terstate conmerce committee was
told today by Glenn E Plumb of
Chicago
Mr.. Plumb, who appeared in sup
port of the so-called Plumb plan
for the reorganization of the rail-
roads, said the information tended
to show that the "wrecking and
loOtingY of the New Haven, the
Chicago and Alton, the Rock Is
land and the Frisco lines, were
mot sporadic examples of the
highway robbery to which the
American nation has been subject
ed as to its public transportation
highways"
Definite information on which
his charges were based, Mr.. Plumb
said, would be turned over to the
committee upon which it may ask
for a full congressional investiga-
ton"
Gather Forces for New Haul.
I'VE believe such an inVestiga-
tion," he continued, will reveal
that there is not one railroad sys-
tenn in the United States but has
suffered, and is suffering, in a de-
gree if not to the same extent,
from carefully deliberated manip-
uIating of the sort that has wreck
ed and ruined the railroads 1 have
mentioned 1t will reveal that
these interests are again gather
ing their forces of private and Sc
cret control and seek, after having
gained from congress- Sals2 23SEt to
rehabilitate their FaffFoad proper
ties at public expense, to begin
again and follow through it's cor
rupt and wicked cycle the systema-
tized plundering and looting of the
public and the public interest in the
nations highways.
VIII Hold Conference.
'In view of the gravity of this
situation, the IA affiliated railway
labor organizations are summoning
to Washington a national confer
ence on railroad control.
'On behalf of the public, we are
inviting to participate in this con-
ference as members of the joint ma
tional committee on railroad con-
troll, Frank P. Walsh, former Joint
chairman of the national war la
Dor board; Joseph w. Folk of Mis-
souri,; Raymond Robins; John
Lind of Minnesota; Edward F.,
Dunno of Chicago; DR.. Edward W.
Bemis; Felix Adler; Governor AL
len of Kansas; Julia c. Lathrop;
Judge Walker Clark of North Caro-
lima; and Dean Herman Schneider
of the University of Cincinnati.
"Messrs Walsh, Clark, Dunno,
Folk and Bemis have already ac-
cepted and with others, who may
yet accept, will meet here with the
representatives of organized labor
on Saturday of this week.
Quotes President.
Every acceptance of our invita-
tion to participate in this national
conference on democratic control !
of railroads has been accompanied |
by whOlehearted acceptance of the |
basic principle expressed in Presi-
dent Wilson's message at the con-
vening of this congress, wherein he |
declares for the genuine democra-
tization of industry based upon a |
full recognition of the right of |
those who work, in whatever rank, |
to participate in some organic way
in every decision which directly |
affects their welfare in the part !
they are to play in industry and !
for a genuine cooperation and part
nership based upon real commun-
ity of interest and participation in
Reserves Information"
'In view of this action by affiliat-
ed labor organizations which 1 !
and on behalf of organ
lied labor and the public, 1 will
therefore ask to reserve this infor-
nation which in our possession
unit it can properly be considered
and submitted to the jury of con-
gress and of public opinion"