The Washington herald., 1918-02-22
Ten Supported johnson.

Senator Cummins, OF Iowa, was
unable TO carry through his amend
ment TO lop OF 5000, 600. 900 from the
1885, 100000 revenue which the ad-
ministration measure guarantees
the roads annually. Senator Rob-
inson, Of Arkansas, mustered
strength enough to carry his
amendment withholding compensa-
tion TO the roads for improve-
ments made between June and De-
cember. 1917.
The ten Senators who voted for
the johnson amendment were:
Observation-Disclosures. johnson. OF
south Dakota; Kirby and Phelan.
Republicans-Gronna. johnson, OF
California; Jones. OF Washington;
Kenyon. Norris and Poindexter.
This amendment OF course was one
of the crucial points OF the bill.
There were several others of like
character. but Senator Johnson
brought his up first.
A little earlier, Senator Cummins
had been unsuccessful in trying to
pass an amendment providing that
during the eighteen months Interim
between the peace declaration and
the lapse OF government operation
board OF five men should run the
railroads instead OF the President.
The Senator will offer the amend-
ment again tomorrow.
Voting upon the amendment WAS
slow and there was much discus
sion on each one. Only four out OF
a possible score had been disposed
or In four hours when the Senate
/ adjourned to meet again today.
Lewis Sensational Speech.
The principal speech Of the long
/ day was made by Senator Jame.
Hamilton Lewis. OF Illinois, Demo-
cratic whip, who uncompromisinely
declared that the railroads would
never Eo back TO private ownerShip.
He caused a sensation by asserting
that Russia, stimulated by German
intrigue, would soon lay envIous eyes
upon Alaska and that Hawaii anS
.he Fhiuppines would be menaced
| by foreign foes.
The day is Just ahead when thjs
Z nation will have 70 night 10 sion
Alaska and Hawaii from being
wrested from the United States" he
declared.
Russia believes that we lent our ala
IN -ough Britain to Japan" he added,
| She holds deep sense OF antfpathy
! toward us for that She will not de-
cline TO crafty any form OF resent
ment she ever can upon US. l warn
my country that IL Germany gets
power in Russia. she will say 10 RUS
sla' There is Alaska: that land was
Wrested from you for a small sum
Must Fight for Islands.
We are building a government rail-
/ road now in Alaska. We would need
II Tor transporting our troops. We will
y I'VE 10 have to fight for Hawaii and
/ me Philippines TO prevent them from
| belng Wrested from us by a power
that will open its doors against u
/ through some form Of antaCouis!o
mat need not now be referred 10. n
! there be no government railroad IA
transport our troops TO the Pacific IN.
! want or such defense will be quickly
! observed. The same argument for a
government road applies to the At
ianlc sunlc coast where we have our island
I possessions in the caribbean"
! The Senator predicted that the ro,-.
/ eminent would in time take Over an
public utilities.
VIII Take Other Utilities.
! AT the same time this country takes
over the railroads il will take The teIs-
graph and telephone privileees- ana
then the products FOR fuel. coal lana,
and all
"All agencies OF nature in tbs
repuoHc necessary 10 the public vcI-
iare will be taken as a necessary pro-
lection"
This taking over Of the enterprIse,
! Tor government use will be the opa
principal issue OF the next nstioTsI
convention, was the prediction OF Spu-
ator Lewis.
Il prophesy that that one gues;io,
! coupled with what shall grow out a
| the war and the peace treaty will "a
the two great questions upon which
our next election will depend and
turn, he said. so, Senators. r,rst
assured 1t will be as l see il the most
important question for your COM
sideration at the arbitration 20 de-
! eide who will be the next chief mag
istrate OF the United States
| Private Control Failed.
Under private contract the rail.
roads were not equal TO the emer-
Sency, asserted Senator Lewis
| The amendment by Senator Cum
minis. which was defeated by q vote
of % to ., sought to reduce the in
come OF eighty-siN railroads earning
over per cent. The reduction would
have amounted to about 100000.
The Robinson amendment which was
adopted involved about S6.5OO.O0O The
| vote upon this was A TO a.
! An amendment by Senator Town
send. Of Michigan. to have the
agreement drawn directly with the
owners Of the systems instead Of
with the systems themselves was
DETECTED by a vote of a to Is
When the Senate adjourned an
amendment by Senator Sterling
was pending. This prohibited re-
moval OF the powers OF State rail-
way commissions and also provided
that the President should appeal TO
the Interstate Commerce Commissiop
In rate changes.
Representative Esch, OF wiscon-
sin, ranking Republican on the Inc
terstate Commerce Committee, de-
clared in a House speech yesterday
afternoon that the rste-makins
power proposed in the bill for the
President was too great authority
for a democracy TO give any man
4 Chairman Sims, representing the
administration. replied that the
President. being responsible for the
roads financial success. must be al
4 lowed power 10 IN the basin f1I