Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1921-04-19
CAPITAL ON STRIKE TO CRUSH LABOR
nrI'nZ7ATELY CREATED AN MPLOYMENT
ERA, DECLARES LAUCK TO WAGE BOARD
Railway Employees Play Their Trump Card Today-Lauck
Says Roads Planned To Gain Ends Through Unemployment
Hunger And Distress-AIIeqes Capital In Conspiracy
BY LUTHER A. HUSTON
ternational News Service STAFF
Correspondsnt

Correspondent.
Ch'eaao. April 1g.-Organized eapi.
tai is on strike" TO crush organized
labor and has deliberately planned
an era OF unen4 ployment. hunger
and distress to accomplish this pnr-
pose, W. Jett Lauck. economist for
the Railway employees, charged in
brief presented TO the United States
Railway Labor Board today
The railway employees played their
trump card today when Lauck filed
his exhibit, entitled Human stand
ards and Railway Policy" l.auck
charged that small group of bank
ers and financiers control the entire
railroad industry and closely allied
Industries and that they are in
criminal conspiracy to crush labor
Through vast system OF inter
locking directories, Iauck's brief
alleges, the firm Of J. P Morgan and
Company virtually controls the en-
tire financial situation as it affects
the railroads. twenty-five men. the
statement declares, divide 1919 rail
road direct0rships among them and
absolutely control 80 Glass one rail.
roads. This coterie of interlocking
directors, Lauck alleges, absolutely
control 1880 miles of railroad. or
50 per cent of the entire railroad
system of the country
Robert S. Lovatt, William Rookie
feller, Fl. W Deforest, A. H. Smith,
G. F. Baker and H S. Vanderbilt
were named as the chief offenders.
Lovett, II was charged. is a director
OF twelve roads; Rockefeller. Defor-
est and Smith. of eleven and Baker
and Vanderbilt OF ten each.
These directors. 1t was also point-
ed out, control % of the largest
steel and equipment plants of the
country in connection with banks
and railroads, including the United
States Steel Corporation Fifty.five
directors knit fifteen of New York's
biggest financial institutions togeth-
er and TO the firm of ]. p. Morgan
and Company, it was declared
Summarized the charge of the
railway employees is that a circle of
hanks, railroads. cement. steel and
other industries has been welded to-
eether into a gigantic conspiracy to
control basic materials, rail trans
pGrtation and finance and to beat
down labor.
THE present industrial situation
of paralysis which has staggered
America" LaIck's statement declares
is the result OF strike of organic
ed capital against society and can't
tai, nationally md internationally or
aa"ized and concentrated takes the
stand That capital shall go on strike
until labor comes to its knees and
con arts to sweeping reductions of
wages and also consents to surrender
its right TO bargain collectively on a
scale cO-eXtensive with the organi
cation of the employees.
This evidence shows that there
is capital combine OF the major
banks, railroads and industries con
trolling basic materials and that this
combine has and exercises a power
over the economic destiny of the
United States This inter-related
: capital group deliberately debated
the farmers and then undertook by
precipitating industrial stagnation to
debate labor
This evidence shows that wlAi
one anu TIE Sdiiit ittHtl fdi EdDlt1ll8
tic group lies the power to adjust or
misadiust relative prices in manner
that will stimulate or suppress in
dustrial activity
THE railway employees make no is
sue" the statement says. of the pro
priety or possible necessity of a cen
tralized system of economic co-ordi-
nation but they challenge the I'M
considerable misuse which this great
coordination has made of its pow
err
THE great national paradox of the
bankin railWay-industria com
bine and its profits is thrown into
bold relief" the statement continues.
"The railroads are pleading poverty
The banks are making unprecedented
profits and declaring unprecedented
dividends. The same applies TO
steel. coal. railway equipment and
similarly situated concerns.
"The capital combine in preparing
to precipitate unemployment adopted
a policy that the railroads should
do it frs Railway Improvement
programs We Gelerred; railway
maintenance was reduced below min.
imum legal requirements: a kink
was put in the purchasing power
of the American people and indus
Try was sent head-on into stagna.
! ton
"The welfare OF 400o0o0 workers
and their families. totaling another
10000 600 or 100000 nearly one
fifth OF our populaton--is at the
mercy of those whose misguided f.
nancal policy can plunge them into
unemployment"