The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-06-17
LABOR TO BACK
PLUMB PLAN
Addressing A. F. Of L. Conven-
ton He Gets Big Ovation
Expect Endorsement
By Large Majority.

Montreal. June 12.-The ovation ao-
corded Glenn e. Plumb. originator Of
the Plumb plan government owner
ship of railroads by the A. F. OIL.
convention today wiped out the per-
sistent rumors that this radical plan
is IN danger of reputation.
1t is significant also thai the Plumb
plan literature distributed to the dele
gates at the opening of the conven-
ton bore the name OF Samuel Com
per as honorary president of the
Plumb plan league.
in the list
Delegates were also surprised to
find in the list of vice presidents on
this official literature, w. G. Lee,
president of the brotherhood of rail-
road trainmen, who, 1T has been re-
peatedly charged by opponents of the
Plumb plan, had ceased to be a mem
Plumb Shocks Old Line Unionists.
Plumb, addressing the convention
by unanimous request, shocked many
of the old line ~unionists by insisting
upon the predominant interests of
consumers.
Except for the consumers" he de-
clared, industry would perish. All
commodities are produced to satisfy
the demands of the people who con-
sumo them. h consumer therefore
has a paramount right to a voice in
dicating not only what shall be pro-
duced but at what price it shall be
sold.
The workers make up the majority
of the consumers, and until they have
recognized their own interests in this
capacity, they can not hope to bet
ter their own conditions in any re-
spect. Wage raises are futile, if at the
same time prices Of the necessities
of life are increased to even higher
levels
This declaration is in direct oppo-
sition to the traditional theory of the
majority of unions affiliated wlhxthe
American Federation Of Labor, Which
hold that wage must center
their efforts On increasing wages and
shortening hours; but it was evident
from the widespread applause that a
large number of the delegates have
been disillusioned by their struggles
to keep pace with an ever increasing
cost of living n welcome the new
declaration.
The convention also manifested it's
approval when Plumb declared: mo
political government was ever de-
vised that could successfully ad-
minister an industry" The expert
ence of the trade %unionists with bure-
aucratic management during the wal
and in the %postoffice department has
made them u~nalterably opposed to
government ownership with
ment by politicians.
The show down on the Plumb plan
will not come until a vote is taken
some time next week or a resolution
by w. H. Johnston, president Of the
machinists's union, and others call
ing for endorsement of the plan; but
present indications are that it will go
through by a large majority.
GomperV Condemns G. o. p. Plank.
Drastic action is expected to be
taken by the convention early Satur-
day on the labor planks Of the re-
publican national convention. The fed
Grafton convention may inveigh the
100000 0o votes of organized labor
against the republican nominee.
President Gompers in a statement
today condemned the labor plank
without qualification.
"The republican platform is exactly
contrary to the request of organized
labor"
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