Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-24
VOTE ON ALASKA BILL
DEMANDED FOR TODAY
Senator Chamberlain Declares There
Must Be Final Action Before
Adjournment.

Debate on amendments to the Alaska
railway bill was resumed in the Senate
today with an announcement by Senator
Chamberlain. in charge OF the measure
that he would insist on final vote before
another recess or adjournment. No ma
terial alteration Of the bill was expected
although many amendments remained to
be disposed Of.
A poll of the Senate is said to have
shown a majority of twenty for the bill.
Just before the bill came up for con-
sideration today for what promised to
be the Senate's final action it was dis
covered that under the bill before the
Senate every employe injured or other
government because of the operation of
the road would be required to come to
Washington and get law passed before
he could sue for damages.
Granted Right to Sue.
The territory committee at once draft
ed an amendment granting the govern
ment permission to be sued IN the
courts in Alaska, just as If 1t were
private owner of q railway.
A controversy arose over a clause IN
the committee amendment which limited
the suits against the government to TRIALS
before the judges and not before jur1es.
'"T.,is is not denial Of a right Of trial
by jury, because no right now exists %
such trial." explained Senator Waleh
for the committee. 1.-The government IN
the further right Of trial by jury. That
is all. No right of trial by jury is given
by the government in the Court OF
Claims"
Jury Trials Defended.
A general defense of trial by turies
resulted, Senators Borah and Reed.
taking the lead.
ct will not vote for this bill il Con-
gress tries in it to assassfnate the
right Of trial by jury" declared Sena-
tor Reed.
AS a result Of the debate the com
mittee agreed to an amendment SO as
to accord injured employees and others
the right of trial by jury.
This debate Just shows what comes
from the government trying to run
railroad" commented Senator Sutner-
land. 1T shouldn't do it any more
than a railroad should run the govern
ment''
He added that the federal emploers'
liability law of 1908, limiting the de-
lenses Of railroads in the states against
damage suits, should be amended 80 as
to apply to the government in Alaska.
The suggestion was not adopted.
La Toilette Amendment Defeated.
The La Toilette amendment. authoriz-
ing the President to withdraw all public
land within at least one mile OF the
road as selected and to keep 1t with
drawn until Congress disposes Of 1t, led
to protracted debate.
Senator Hoke Smith suggested as
substitute that the President should. IN
his discretion, open up the lands along
the line of the road when decided upon
The La Toilette amendment was de-
feated without a roll call. and Senator
Smith did not insist upon his substitute.
The Legislative day Of January o.
will not end In the Senate until the
measure is passed upon.
The committee in charge Of the bill won
its hardest fight yesterday when the
Senate defeated the Cummins amend
ment which would have made government
operation Of the proposed railroad man
datory instead of leaving 1t to the
President to decide whether it should be
leased.
Virtually all republicans who have sup
ported the bill voted for this amendment.
An effort by Senator Williams to strike
out Of the ball authority for the acquisi-
ton Of any existing lines was defeated.
46 to 5.
An amendment by Senator Bristow spe-
cifically authorizing the President to
lease the road to the Panama Railroad
Company, government-owned stock
company, was carried. 43 to IL.