The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-02-22
SENATE BEATS
JOHNSON PLAN
TO HOLD ROADS
Government Ownership
Forces Are Defeated by
=. Vote Of.61 to 10. A..
ALL AMENDMENTS FAIL
Upper House. Will Stand by
Committee in Redraft Of
Traffic Measure.
ALL AMENDMENTS FAIL
SPECIAL Despatch to THs suS.

Special DesSatcA TO Tas Sun
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2l.-The Senate to-
day voted convincingly to stand by the
Committee on Interstate Commerce in
its redraft Of the Administration railway
control bill. There were amendments in
troduced and discussed under tho ten
minute rule and then voted on. but not
one OF them stood the test Of Senate ap-
proval with the exception OF a change
proposed by Senator Robinson (Ark.). q
member Of the committee, which was
hardly Of vital moment.
The forces Of Government ownership,
which had rallied to their standard one
or two Senators who favor indefinite
Federalixed control Of the transportation
facilities Of the country, were beaten by
the convincing vote Of 61 to 10 when an
amendment was proposed by Senator
Johnson tCal) restoring the original
phraseoloGy Of the bJl by the elimina-
tion Of the proposed limitation to eigh-
teen months of Federal control after the
close OF the war.
The Senators who stood by the effort
for at least q season of peace time con-
troll Of the roads by the Government
were Ashurst (Ariz.). C;ronna (N. d.
johnson (Cal.). johnson IS, d.. Jones
(wash.). Kenyon Ua.). Kirby (Ark.)
Norris tNeb.). Phelan (Cal) and Po!n-
dexter (Wash.)
Late improvements Barred.
The amendment of Senator Robinson
provided that in the calculation of cap
italization to determine the amount o.
income tho Government shall guarantee
there shall bc eliminated from the cap
italisation all improvements and better
ments added by the railways between
June 80 and December 81. 1917. This
amendment carried, ~ to -.
Senator Cumminss amendment pro-
viding for tho curtailment OF the guar
antee to eighty-six OF the leading rail-
ways vas defeated by a vote OF So to 90.
Senator Cummins had estimated that
this amendment would cut down the
necessary total of the guarantee by more
than $1.3,O0O,000. The votes favorable
to his amendment came wholly from the
more radical element in the Senate and
the division was not upon party lines.
The Senate at 6 o'clock. under agree.
ment. recessed until tomorrow. when II
will consider another amendment OF Sen.
ator Cummins.
This amendment provides that fol-
lowing the peace proclamation the Presi'
dent shall appoint a commission OF Ave
mite legislation by Congress looking Il
restoration OF the lines to peace con
dt!ons This will be voted on early to-
morrow.
Lewis Pessinistie.
In the earlier debate on the bill Sena
tor Lewis (lll) gave vent to some pes
simistic views as to the future OF th'
United States. and spoke a valedictora
to the State governments. which. under
the tendency Of the times, he though
were becoming obsolete.
! Senator Lewis's views did not NEE
with 30 cordial a reception By the Re
publican leaders as he may have eX
pected. Senator Knox (Pa.) was quicl
/ to take issue with him.
May I not inquire II the same rea
sons will not always exist for the state!
creation that existed at the time TIT
States were created?' he asked.
! Senator Lewis insisted that Supreme
Court decisions Of recent years had inad'
! the States virtual provinces" OF th'
nation.
The House reported an asreeme!. TO
day to wind up general debate OH tn
railroad bill at 6 O'Clock. and then beGil
consideration Of the bill section by sec
ton, with no prospect OF voting on It
Anal passage before next week. Repub
licans are planning amendments to b.
offered. the most important OF whicl
will be the effort to strike from the bill
the provision vesting Director-Genera
4 McAdoo with the rate making power TO
the period Of Federal operation. An ef
fort will be made also to cut the pcrio'
OF Federal control after the war fron
two years to one year.
Representative Esch tWis). raukini
I,,t,
Committee. touched both of these sec
t.ons in Il speech opposing them as nov
written. lie said the standard returl
guaranteed to the railroads under tn
agreement with the Government is OK
cessive. Mr.. Esch declared that tn
minority firmly believed the rate MAX
ing power should remain with the Inter
state Commerce Commission. ''the bod
under our Government that has had III
regulation of railroads, including ihcl
rates in charge"