The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-27

} Afraid of McAdoo.
William G. McAdoo, former direc-
tor of the railroads, was denied the
privilege of testifying before the com.'
mlttee, so were President L. E. Shep-
.pard of the Order of Railway Conduc-
tors, and President w. H. Johnston
OF the. international Association Of
Machinists. Six members voted against
their being heard and four, Senators
La Toilette, Pomerene, Pittman and
Stanley, voted in their favor. The two
labor men were present ready to give
testimony.
Senator La Toilette will lead the
fight in the senate against the bill, the
passage of which will levy one more
burden upon the people to favor pri-
vate corporations.
Stanley Hits Hard.
This bill was not prepared by any
member of the senate declared Sem
ator Stanley, of Kentucky. when the
committee was railroading through
the bill. 1T is not the expression Of
a public demand. 1t is not the express
sion of the will of the senate. It vas
" oA6AI ACAc w pdII1eS OQlSlU0.
Senator Stanley was indignant be-
cause the committee had heard hand
picked advocates of the subsidy and
then absolutely refused to hear any
person in rebuttal of their testimony.
Representatives of the public, of the
farmers. railroad workers and ship
Ders were denied an opportunity to tell
what they thought of the measure
Former Railroad Director William
q. McAdoo and Former Director Wall
ter D. Hines, who know more of gcv-
ernment operation than any other two
persons, had offered to come before
the committee and tell it what they
thought should be done with the rail-
| road problem. The committee curtly
declined to receive them.
Public Not Heard.
Having built up case upon the
testimony of special pleaders for the
railroad interests. the committee, al
ways subservient to the railroad lobby,
turned the doors against all other Sec
tons of the public and proceeded to
0. K. the most monstrous suggestion,
that has yet emanated from quarter
that knows no law save the will Of the
speculator and financiers who are
forcing the public to make good tho
1nadequacies of private operation.
1t developed during the discussion
of the subsidy bill. that it's loosely
drawn provisions will make it possible
for the railroads to secure more than
the original 100000, 900. It was stated
by opponents that the war finance
I<eN l@oI.s
masked, can, if it sees fit, accord re-
lief up to the full limit of it's re-
sources, which are in the neighbor-
hood of $3,500,000,0O0.
Having been written by railroad at
torneys, it is just such a measure as
they would like to see enacted, for it
will settle for some years to come all
questions of finance. The railroads
can continue to waste their substance,
neglect the public interest, engage in
rlotous gratis and manipulations, and
when their treasures run low they can
tap Uncle Sans for as much as they
may need for the time being.
Its Shamclss Bill.
Yet, shameless as is the bill, it is
assured Of safe passage through con-
gress. The administration is thor.
oughly committed to it and is an.
| noyed because congress has dared to
mildly suggest that it should have a
vacation before it takes it up for fiuaa
consideration,
! The advisors of the President have
denounced as "demagogues'' the small
handful Of men who are still loyal to
the public welfare and insist that pub
lie funds should not be so generously
distributed until the matter has been
fully looked into. :.
The railroad lobby and those con-
trolled by it don't want any discussion
of this measure, because 1t cannot
Withstand scrutiny. The plan is to get
it through with before the people
awaken to it's true import. They know
that sooner or later they must face
storm, but they want to face it after
the railroads have got everything they
have had the nerve to demand
Senator Reed Objects.
Senator Reed stated the case clearly
when he said that the government was
to give the railroads ten years time
on what they owe it and, there being
mutual indebtedness, instead of set
ting off one debt against the other and
paying the. balance, the government
pays its side Of the account and gives
the railways time on their side OF the
Eaccount
I But there is something more re-
markable in the proposal than appears
In Senator Reeds statement The rail-
roads owe the government $7s3, 3,00o,-s
900 for additions and betterments
made during federal control In atldi.
ton, the government holds equipment
1 trust expenditures of the railroads
amounting to nearly 100000. 900 for
texpepditures in the purchave of cars
and ottves The railroads also
Continued son page 8. s.