The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-01-21

This, Mr. Plumb says, is just
about half the property value
claimed by the carriers. and more
than $4,000, 100000 less than the
alue given the roads by the Inter-
state Commerce Commission for rate
making purposes.
This heavy watering of railroads
imposes an unjust ard unnecessary
burden Of nearly half billion dol
lars upon the American public. 1t
also explains why the farmers of
the nation are broke and why rail-
read workers are being ground down
10 respects both wages and decent
working conditions.
It also provides a reason for the
i unsatisfactory industrial conditions
lin this country. The railroads have
established charges greater than the
traffic can bear. They have made it
cheaper to burn corn than to pur-
chase coal. They have forced farm
ers to sell the products Of a years
labor for less than the cost of car
rying them to market.
Loaded Down Trade.
In other words, railroad manage
ment and the latter's manipulation
have so loaded down trade with
transportation charges that it cam
not move freely. This is the impli-
cation of Mr.. Plumb's letter to Mr..
Markham.
Some time ago Mr.. Plumb testi-
ited before the house committee on
Interstate commerce on the sub
ject OF railroad valuation. He quot
ed statistics compiled by the Inter-
state Commerce Commission as
proof OF his contention that the ef-
fort OF the carriers to collect toll,
on watered stock has ruined all
sections OF the people.
IL the roads were permitted to
'seAfAFa ~ return only on the actua1
Il value of their property, Mr.. Plumb
said, there would be an immediate
Improvement in business conditions.
1t would not then be necessary to
ask, workers to accept starvation
: wages. Millions of men who have
been idle for months would return
to- work, for when the incubus of
destructive rate; is once removed
from commerce it will get to it's
feet and start moving.
To Repudiate Leaders.
Mr.. Markham took exceptions to
these statements, claiming that rep
resentatives of the workers were
attempting to discredit railroad man.
ayers In the eyes of their employees.
He called upon the employees of the
Illinois Central to repudiate their
unions and their leaders and place
their faith in managers, who would,
j Markham said, be very happy to
record this note Of confidence in
their good purposes.
gReiterating in his reply to Mr..
: Markham his charge that valuations
50 tar established by the engineers
Z OF, the Interstate Commerce Com
mission show that the roads are
2 worth less than half Of the sum
claimed. Mr.. Plumb proceeded to
( give the market value Of stocks and
bonds, which substantiate the an
i praisement of the commission and
support Plumbs statement in eyerv
! particular.
Plumb Hits Hard.
Mr.. Plumb further declared that
charges that railroads are profiteer-
tng through contracts at excessive
prices with supply companies in
which railway managers are finan-
scially interested, that they are violat-
ing the law by granting rebates and.
giving favored shippers free trans
portation, and that they are looting
ethe roads by approving false claims
2 Tor loss and damages, have been
aoundantly proven by the Interstate
I. Commerce Commission, whose find
sin8s on these unlawful practices have
been laid before the Senate by repre-
SSentatives of organized rail workers.
E Railroads in more than 1875 cases,
Involving 2.175 counts, declares Mr.
Plumb. have been convicted of re-
batting and have been assessed fines
of1more than a million dollars. He
dSelares that claims for loss and
damages have increased from little
5leas than $20,000,00O in 1910 to more
than $122,0o0,00O in 1920, suffi-
tciently demonstrating, Mr.. Plum,
adds, the truth Of charges that rail-
way managers are employing a new
\ method Of favoring big shippers at
the expense OF the public.
%s5 Roads Are Grating.
s5Sisss AT to the charge that managers
ara graftin- on supply contracts,
there is a mountain of evidence in
the records of the Commission to the
effects that a number of roads con-
atracted for repairs Of cars and loco
! a otiyes and paid concerns in which
tlHllroad officials are interested from
qbur to- six times what the work
gGNn6ereds was worth,
In view of these facts. Mr.. Plumb
assures Mr.. Markham, railroad
workers will continue to trust their
leaders and distrust their bosses,
The latter by their records are con-
idenhSdas disloyal to the public and
snM3u4 and bitrary in their treat
sM1 1ntA M -empioyes. .. = .~,..
fssemingly there is an unextin-
able supply Of the particular
u Continued on page, ~ n
rf