Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-06

state commerce committee. in
support of the railroad brother
hoods plans for public ownership
and private operation of the roads.
Declaring that American democ-
racy was controlled by an autoc-
racy in industry, Mr.. Stone argued
that there could be no solution and
no lowering of the cost of living
as long as consumers had to pay
extortionate profits on their own
earnings in purchasing the neces-
stiles of life.
Labor Behind Sims Bill.
Labor's belief in the Sims bill
embOdying the railroad employees
plan for the solution of the rail-
road problem was declared by Mr..
Stone to be profound. In this
plan, he said the workers advanc-
ed to "a new crusade with the faith
of the pilgrims"
81 speak as the voice of those
two million men, delegated by
them to announce to this commit
tee, and to the people of this coun-
try that they are supporting this
measure with all their strength
and all the unity Of purpose that
can move so large a body of citi-
zens," said Mr.. Stone.
Joined with us and represented
by AIR. Morrison is the American
FEDERATION of Labor, adding three
Smillion and a half men to that
body of railway employees who in
stituted this movement.
Long Struggle For Existence.
In the industrial development
of this country great organizations
of capital first appeared as en-
ployers. Individual workers, fol-
lowing the example set by capital,
organized as employees.
There has been a perpetual
struggle by the workers to main
tain a tolerable standard of eX-
istence, on the part of capital to
amass greater profits. At times,
both sides could ignore the needs
of the public. But now, the very
growth of the labor organizations
has brought into their ranks a
great mass of the consumers. The
large number of the wage earners
now constitute a large percentage
of the people. The extension of in
dustry has changed the nature of
the struggle.
For whatever the worker re-
ceives in wages he must spend for
the necessaries of life. In addi-
ton, he is always compelled to
may the employer an excessive
pz0fit on his own wages. The cost
of his living is determined by the
sum he earns plus the profit he
is charged on his own labor. And,
as a group, labor is forever pre-
vented from lettering its lot be-
cause of the profits exacted by the
employer. So long as consumers
are forced to pay extortionate pro-
fits on their own earnings to a
third interest there is no solution
of the industrial problem.
~Third Interest in Control.
I'VE find that this third interest
absolutely controls the manage
ment of industry. It fixes wages
and controls working conditions.
1t fixes the prices of commodities
without regard to the needs of So
ciety, or the necessities of produc-
ers and consumers. We have a
democratic form of government,
but an autocratic control of indus
try.
We exist under government,
but by industry live. Under such
a system, the majority of a dem
ocracy can through their govern
ment enjoy only such rights and
privileges as an autocracy in in
dustry permits them to receive.
Sees Solution in Plan.
THE need of mankind for the
products of industry must be ac-
cepted as the basic interest in all
industry. The right of the worker
Who supplies that need demands
like acceptance. This can only be
achieved by permitting producers
and consumers to share in control
of the management Of their means
of existence. The machinery for
attaining this result, we believe,
is embodied in the plan outlined in
the Sims bill"
Morrison Speaks for Measure.
Enactment of the Sims bill en-
bodying organized labor's plan for
reorganization of railroads will re-
establish the theory that the roads
should be operated for public SER