The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-10-28
POTNDEXTER Is
WILFULLY LYING
Letter From Glenn
Plumb Says So

1871 OneSUnuJ DIEeeJ,
Everett, Wash.
My dear Mr.. Eggersglus:
Mr.. Heating has been away from
the office for some time on account
of serious illness and in his absence
the clipping which you forwarded
was referred to me.
l read with particular interest this
portion of Senator Poindexter' S
speech as quoted in the clipping:
"Mr. Plumb did not propose to
submit to the will of the majority
of the people of America. Our
Constitution, you know, is based on
the will of the majority. Without
the people of America voluntarily
consenting to abide by the terms of
our Constitution it is not worth the
paper it is written on.
81 asked Plumb one day that If
defeated in Congress would he be
willing to submit the proposal to a
vote of the people. He said he was
| then asked him what he would dc
if he were defeated at the polls. He
replied that we would have a revo-
luton He intended to substitute
force and coercion for the will of
the majority of our people as eX-
pressed at the ballot box.
81 was called to the Senate later
to vote on the Plumb Plan bill. AS
| was going down the street a news
paper was thrust in my hands and
there emblazoned across the top of
the front page was the official ukase
to your elected representatives. 1t
was a proclamation, handed down as
by car, that if the Plumb Plan is
not adopted the plans supporters in
tended to tie up the nation by a
great strike. 1t was not to be a
government by the people but a
government of force and coercion"
Senator Poindexter is either will
fully lying or else he has gone crazy.
He said, 81 was called to the Senate
later to vote on the Plumb Plan
bill" No bill embodying the Plumb
Plan ever was presented in the Sen
ate, and the State never voted on
the proposition. The bill was in
troduced in the House, referred to
the House Committee and no report
was made upon it, so that neither
an opportunity to vote on the meas
ure. No bill was ever introduced in
the Senate embodying this plan. Nc
hearing was ever had upon the bill
before a Senate committee or before
any committee in which Senator
Poindexter was present. l never
discussed the bill with Senator Poin-
dexter No such conversation as he
reports ever took place, but a like
question was put to me by Congress
man Dewalt. member of the House
Committee on the day following the
newspaper publication referred to by
Senator PoindeXter, in which the
forces that control the press oppos-
ing US had printed headlines saying
that if the Plumb. Plan was not
adopted labor would resort to a
strike.
Mr.. Dewalt called that to my at
tention and qestioned me thereon
The questions and answers are found
on pages 725, 726 and 729 of the
hearings before the House Commit
tee l enclose the volume for you
to study and quote the following
questions and answers:
MR.. DEWALT. Permit me to in
terrupt you there. Am l correct
then, in understanding you, as the
mouthpiece of this organization and
their counsel, as saying that you dc
not believe in any measures which
would result in force, but that you
would confine the efforts to legiti-
mate legal process?
MR.. PLUMB. Absolutely.
MR.. DEWALT. l am glad tC
hear you say that. l want to put
those people right, if l can, and put
myself right. Are you sure thai
you are voicing the sentiment of the
organizations whom you represent
as general counsel when you make
that statement?
MR.. PLUMB. l am sure. Indeed
if | were not sure, would not bt
here. Now, Congressman, if
may say this, there has been {
great deal of Misrepresentation IL
the papers saying that we intended
to force this legislation by the pow
er of strike. No one has said that
1t has been positively denied by Mr.
Stone and Mr.. Morrison and by my
self. The fact is there is a wage
discussion pending under the Old sys
TEN, and the only mention of STRIKE
has been in connection with tina
old discussion, which is entirely sep
arate and apart from the proceed
ings which we are presenting here
| This is a question of craftsmanship
| 1t depends upon an appeal to thu
| patriotism and the wisdom of thu
| citizens of the United States, ant
we would be blind to our own In
terest if we attempted to bring int
this discussion any such methods a
are used for the settling of wag
| dispute under the existing employ
ment system. There is not anybod.
here representing our interest VIII
| has said a word on which any othe
| Interpretation can be placed. Whel
we say that if these questions ar
not solved there will be trouble, w
are merely stating the fact of tn
discomfort which we find Throughout
the country and the necessity TO
| finding a solution. That is all.
| page 1921
MR.. DEWALT. You will pardon
me, Mr.. Plumb, for going along thi
line of inquiry, but it is interesting
to me and l wanted to know you
views about it. / am glad tina
YOU voice the sentiment of the PEG
pie who are engaged in railroad op
Grafton when you declare that it j
not their idea to pursue any eXcep