The Washington herald., 1920-01-15
PLU NIB ADAPTS
RAILPLAN TO
INDUSTRY
Proposes Political Program
To Remedy Existing
Ills in U.S..

Glenn E. Plumb. author of the
Plumb plan for the operation Of tine
railroads, has come forward with
another plan which he declares to
be virtually a program for the ap7
plication of the Plumb plan to in
dustry"
to the railroads. a tri-partite con-
troll by the public. capital and labor,
Mr.. Plumb appends details as to
the remedy for existing ills, and
suggests a political program to
make his proposal the policy of the
American people, IN q predatory
note. he has THIS to say:
Under the existing system there
is no point of common interest be-
tween society's need. the profit
seeking of capital. and the interest
Of labor. The three fundamental
interests are held apart by wholly
diverse attitudes towards the indus
try. The public seeks to buy as
cheaply as it can without regard to
profits or wages. Capital seeks to
obtain the highest profit it can
without regard to the need Of So
ciety or the rights of labor; and the
laborer. being treated as the mer-
chandiser of a commodity, naturally
seeks to sell as little of that COM
modify as he can for as much as
he can get. without due regard for
the interest of capital or the need
of society"
Industry In Four Parts.
Industry Is divided into four parts
by Mr.. Plumb-the individual owner,
the producer whose industry is such
that he is apart from the actual labor,
public service corporations, and last
ly the railroads.
The public, capital, and labor are
at perpetual war with each other"
says Mr.. Plumb. Prices bear no re-
lation to actual costs or needs.
Wages bear no relation to service
rendered. We produce non-essentiaIs,
and suffer for lack Of necessaries.
The cost Of living becomes insupport-
able. We are caught in our own
ruthless machinery of privilege.
In every industry there are three
interests; first, the need Of society
for the products; second. the rights
OF those who furnish capital, and,
third. labor, which is the creative
human impulse. These are equal in
Importance to the existence Of the in
dustry, and should be clothed with
equal authority.
The measure of what every man
should receive for his service in the
four divisions of industry should be
an equivalent amount in value OF the
services of others.
Human Right Set Aside.
The wage system disregards this
human right. Under it a man re-
ceives only enough for his service.
whatever be its value to society, as
VIII cover the bare necessities of
existence. To restore democracy, So
ciety should have profits on soci-
ety's investment, as expressed in
Sioee, Ah lle shape OF Detter, cneap-
er and more service. Capital should
get fixed and guaranteed return.
at the rate which procures the ac-
ceptance at par of the securities
which represent investment. Labor
should receive that rate Of wages
which procuresl the service OF each
class Of labor. and. in addition. should
nave It's share OF all of the saw
ings which labor can effect in the
processes of production.
All Of the savings should be even
ly divided between the public, as
consumers, and labor, as producers.
In the Industries based on a grant,
capital and labor Jointly should di-
vide the half apportioned to pro-
ducers, the other half accruing to
the public as reflected in reduced
price to consumer. In industries not
based on a grant capital and labor
should share in the direction and
control equally. and distribute profits
In the proportion which their re-
spective Investments bear to each
other,
Thus every producer would re-
cefve, as producer, in increased earn
ing power one-half Of all efficiencies
created In the processes of indus
try. and, as consumer. he would re-
ceiye IN increased purchasing power
Of his earnings one-half Of all ef-
ficiencies created by all other pro-
ducers IN all other industries"