Evening star., 1922-08-02

Glenn E Plumb. one Of the most
widely known advocates of the prin-
ciples of organized labor, a lawyer
by profession. and. as such. counsel
for sixteen of the big national labor
unions, and author of the celebrated
Plumb pan" for the operation OF
the railroads of the country. died last
night at the Georgetown University
Hospital after a protracted illness. He
suffered a relapse from an improved
condition that had given his many
friends a hope his recovery was q
question of short time. The direct
cause of his death was heart trouble.
Mr.. Plumb was stricken last Febru-
ary, his breakdown resulting from a
hard speech-making campaign he
was making in behalf Of his plan
of railroad control.
Born In 1866.
Mr.. Plumb was born of farmer
stock in Washington county. Iowa,
in 1856, and lived most of his life
in Streater, Ill.
school vacation as ROLLER boy" in a
glass factory or as stationary en-
gineer and harvest hand on farms.
Previous to his entering Oberlin
College, in 1887. he spent his winters
teaching In the district school and
milking cows. sometimes sixteen and
as high as thirty cows day" He
established a reputation also as a
runner. and as a breaker of colts.
When he went to Oberlin he qualified
as teacher OF gymnastics, and in the
winter of his first year he went to Be-
1N;t al
After graduation from Oberlin he
spent a year at Harvard and COM
pleted his law course at Northwest
ern University in 1893, when he was
admitted to the bar. Thereafter he
clerked in the office of Peck. Miller
1900 Mr.. Plumb was appointed attor-
ney for the Chicago General Railway
Company. street railway company.
Aided Chicago Traction.
In 1905 Edward F. Dunno was elect
ed mayor of the city of Chicago. and
he attempted to straighten out the
city's traction tangle. Mr.. Plumb
was retained by Mayor Dunno Is spe-
cial attorney and counsel for the city
OF Chicago. during which time he
prepared. together with Clarence Dar-
row and Maj. Tolman, the corporation
counsel. and presented to the supreme
court what is known as the ninety
nlne-yedr case, IN WHICH proceeding
most of the principles that Mr.. Plumb
later contended for were upheld by
the supreme court.
Mr.. Plumb later represented the
states attorney of Cook county and
the corporation counsel of the city of
Chicago in various negotiations be-
tween the elevated railways and the
surface lines. during which period he
also represented with others the
street railway employees of Chicago
in the settlement of their strike OF
1916, and in the litigation involving
the elevated railways he established
in the supreme court of Illinois the
Interpretation Of that provision of
the Illinois constitution forbidding
the issuance of stocks or bonds by
railroad companies in excess of the
amount paid for them.
In 1915 Mr.. Plumb was chosen
special counsel for the city of Chicago
iE the gas litigation proceedings,
which are still pending.
Retained by Union in 1917.
Again. in 1917, he was retained by
the four big railway brotherhoods.
which means the four not affiliated
with the American Federation of La
tion proceedings before the Inter-
state Commerce Commission under
the railroad valuation act.
In 1918 Mr. Plumb. still represent
ing the organizations OF railroad en-
ployes. appeared before the Senate
committee on interstate commerce
and presented his solution of the ma
tion's transportation problem. which
later became nationally known as the
Plumb plan" 1t provided. briefly.
for government ownership Of the rail-
roads and their operation by the pub
lie. the management and the workers.
Following Mr.. Plumb's appearance
before Congress he undertook an
educational campaign to familiarize
the public with his railroad plan, and
from 1t grew the Plumb Plan League.
The demand upon Mr.. Plumb for
speaking engagements was greater
than his time or strength.
Mr. Plumb is survived by his widow.
Mrs. Marie Cora Plumb, and one son
and one daughter. William c. Plumb
and Miss Grace I. Plumb. There will
be a funeral service at the family
residence, l Leland street, Chevy
Chase. Md. after which the body will
be taken to Chicago. where the
funeral services proper will take
place Friday afternoon. The inter-
hent will be in that city. 1t is
probable that the AmeSican Fedora
tion Of Labor will send a delegation
as an honorary escort with the body
to Chicago.