Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-07-21
DEMOCRATIC" CON-
troll OF RAILROADS

The recent declaration of the
American Federation of Labor in
favor of Government ownership of
the railroads, with what they call
democratic control gives particu-
lar interest to recent testimony be-
fore the Senate Committee on Inter
state Commerce showing what
democratic control really is.
During the period of Government
operation of the railroads there was
what one might expect to be "demo-
cratic CONTROL" for the management
was taken entirely out of the hands
of railroad owners. Mr.. McAdoo was
supposed to be the representative of
the railroad owners of the Govern
ment, of the railroad employees, and
of the people of the country in gen.
/ eral How he performed the duties
of this all powerful position is indi-
Gated by the manner in which the
Railroad Administration negotiated
certain national agreements with the
Railroad Employees Department of
the American Federation of Labor.
| AS described by Mr.. E. T. Whittier,
mittee of Managers, the agents of
!
presented the Government and the
railroad owners, were all men of
union labor affiliation and were in
reality spokesmen of the employees.
Therefore, the real negotiation OF
the agreements amounted to ses-
sion of labor representatives sitting
down with another group who were
their former associates in labor or
ganization work and drafting and
terms of an agreement satisfactory
to themselves and with small, il
any, consideration for the Judgment
or desires of railroad officials.
The members OF the Committee, to
which the Director General of Rail
roads turned over the negotiations
after two groups of representatives
of the men and of the Railroad Ad-
ministration had failed to agree on a
set OF rules, included a locomotive
engineer whose only managerial eX-
perience, he admitted, was in the
capacity of roundnouse foreman, q
boiler maker who had never helC
any position of managerial response.
bility or the railroad; fireman whC
had served as an inspector of loco
motives, and former foreman in Z
roundhouse.
These four men who knew nothing
from practical experience of the pro
blems of operating railroad with {
view to economy, were selected u
represent the Railroad Administra
tion in negotiating with the railroad
unions the national agreement:
which prescribe the hours OF LABOR
compensation for overtime, the class
of employees who might be utilized
on various kinds OF work, etc.
1t was under the agreements Sc
cured in this manner that the rail
roads We're required to pay 1or ser
vices never rendered. Under suci
agreements the men were allowed
compensation to the extent of op'
hour per week for punching the clocl
as they entered the shop TO begil
their daily duties. Under suci
agreements several men drawing tn,
compensation of experts were re
quired to be paid for the perform
ance of some ratner simple task.
which one man of ordinary xeperi
ence could have done satisfactorily
This instance in which the EN-
,Ioyes were permitted to negotiate
with themselves as to the terms O.
their employment indicates exactl!
what would happen under the adop
tion Of the Plumb Plan now prac
tically backed by the Federation o
labor under winch the Government
would issue bonds to the amount o
; some $20,000,0 100000 in order to bu.
the roads and turn them over to ;
: Commission majority of whom
would be employees of the roads.