The Washington herald., 1918-02-23
Cummins Succeeds in Hav-
ing Short Line Roads
Included In Control.
MEASURE NOW GOES
TO HOUSE MEMBERS
Government Supervision
Ends l6 Months After
Peace Is Declared.

Overcoming all opposition, the
administration last night drove the
railroad bill through the Senate.
General House debate on the
measure. which has been running
concurrently with the Senate dis
cussion. is practically at an end.
Consideration of amendments be-
gins today, with approximately one
hundred proposed changes pend
ing.
Final passage Of the measure is
looked for next week.
The Senate last night 6na.:y
passed the measure by viva voce
vote after two days consideration
of amendments.
Vote Down changes
All changes OF importance were
voted down with the exception OF
an amendment offered by Senator
Cummins. of Iowa, directing ths
government to take over all short
line roads representing an invest
ment of at least SI.OOU.0OO.
AS passed by the upper branch the
bill limits the period Of government
control to eighteen months after
peace is declared. Efforts to con-
tinue Federal operation by reqUiT-
ing legislative action to return the
properties to their owners, were de-
feated. The roads ere to be COM
pensated by guarantee Of returns
equal to their average Operating In
come for the-ihree years ending
June 80. 1917.
Securities maturing to an aggTe-
: gate value of $S5O.O00. .OGO within the
next four years are TO be Eusrau-
teed. The President may allow ca
ira compensation for bclteIments
that are paid for out of earnings
but not out of surplus.
He may fix rates. An appropTis-
tion OF $500, ,0O0, 600 is provided as
a nucleus for fund to buy rolling
stock and terminals. such pal
Chases would remain the property
of the government.
More than d dozen amendments
were disposed Of during the day.
Hundreds OF short speeches were
made under the five minute rule.
The bill could have been passed hClf
I an hour earlier. had IL not bccu
that Senator RansdeI, of Louisiana.
| insisted upon reading . speech upon
waterway transportation into the
I Record.
Reject Amendments.
I line railroads. the most interesting
step of the day was the rejection or
amendments by Senator Cumusins 10
, limit the government return to the
roads TO not more than Per cent
upon their capital stock.
Following this defeat. the admins
! tration turned down propositions TO
{ limit the amount first to 6 and then
J to Z per cent. Hiram johnson, OF
! California, fought vglliantIy for a..
CUmmins amendments
1T seems in this me OF sacrifice
OF blood and treasure We must find
out just how much shall be paid to
( the railroads." he said sarCastically.
Once more Senator Cummins offered
his proposition to give control OF the
roads during the eighteen months
after peace. to a board of five men.
/ The Senate refused this by a viva
! voce vote.
/ Senator Lodge. Of Massachusetts.
( tried to have the period OF control
after the war cut from the eighteen
months IN the bill 10 one-third that
time. This failed by q 10 . votes.
! Senator King. OF Utah. offered twelve
months as analternative. but this was
I defeated by IS to 3. The administra-
ton was winning all the way.
Hitchcock Loses.
The controversy started when
Senator Smith wished TO eliminate
! from the bill the words, "or with
any order Of the President" Hitch
! cock suggested inserting the words
I authorized by law" and upon this
amendment the debate hinged.
Some Senators considered that al
| ready in the bill the Presidential
powers were defined. and that they
: lad been defined further in the
railroad act OF 1916.
: IF you put in authorized by
law we can't anticipate the needs"
insisted Senator Robinson. 1T will
| be necessary then to write in the
| bill the orders you want the Presi-
dent empowered to issue"
Il do not see how the Senator can
maintain his position said Senator
Hitchcock. The President derives
his power under acts OF Congress"
The Hitchcock amendment was
defeated, 45-to-25.
Short Lines Taken.
| Senator Chamberlain's shrcid funny
Senator Cummin's amendment at
| fecting the short lines was adopted
by a vote OF IS TO IA The administrs-
tion had not desired the inclusion OF
these railroads, Director General Nc
Adoo believing that the government
should be left 10 select the systems &c
wished to use. Opponents Of the
amendment said the short lines wish
ed 10 be able to, share in the 6nsa-
ciai protection Afforded.
| The fourteen Senators Who voted
against the inclusion OF the short
line railroads were: ~
Observation-Disclosures Gerry. KEN
driclc. King. Kirby. Pomerene, Sauis-
bury. Shafroth. Underwood. Vsr,1a-
CONTINUED oS PAGE THREE