Cleveland County herald., 1918-05-23

ne also TenueIeu SUCH UlSIEiRuiSH
ed service in connection with The
Child Labor law that President. Will
expressed a hfgf- perBo ha15 conpl-
ment upon the efficiency With wh;c
he handled the bill in the Senate anf
secured its, prompt passage.
again we find him active with ref
erence too transportation conditions,
ard ID member Of the Joint Commits
Sion on Congress named to investigate
the entire situation. He threw his
powerful influence in to the breach TO
meet the railway crisis due to tho
war. His studies and Investigations
as o member Of the commission fitted
him for leadership in the preparation
of the bill providing for the Federal
Control of Railroads. The Secretary
Of the Treasury, who is also the Direc-
tor General Of Railroads, has ex-
pressed his cordial appreciation of
! the services Of Senator Robinson In
relation to this measure, both in the
committee and on the floor Of the Sen
ate. Senator Robinson was chairman
BO'1NF
Senator Townsend and himself, which
effected a compromise in the commit
fee upon the points u1ost materially
controverted relating to the period Of
Federal control and the power of the
president to make rates, and thus fa-
cilitated prompt report of the bill TO
the Senate. 1t was upon his motion
that the provision in the bill for the
Workingman'a Compensation Act up
plicable to railroad employees was
stricken out. Representatives of the
Brotherhoods have appeared before
the committee and opposed the pro-
vision.
Later on in the proceedings with
reference to government control of
railroads the constructive mind of
Senator Robinson asserted itself in
efrecting a reduction of approximately
six and a half million dollars in the
annual compensation which may be
agreed upon between the president
and the railroads.
The flood control bill was one of the
big achievements OF Congress, and as
the presiding officers while the Senate
had the bill under consideration, he
declared that measure passed Just be-
fore the expiration of the five-hour
period fixed for its consideration. He
IS recognized as enc of the ablest par
liamentarians and presiding officers In
the Senate.
He Is the author of the appropria
ton providing for flood control, the
House committee and the House OF
Representatives having failed to re-
port any appropriation for that pur-
pose and the Senate committee on ap-
preparations having rejected the same.
After a fight on the floor, Senator Rob
inson's amendment carrying ten mil
lion five hundred thousand dollars
was agreed to by the Senate. The
amount was afterwards reduced in
conference to six and one-half million
/ dollars.
There is an endless variety OF ac-
tivities in the career of a real sena-
tor; and in still another field of use
fulness we find the subject OF this
sketch as the author Of the measure
creating an employment bureau with.
.-fTy. T-7rr 1T T-TU1r Tie IS
also the author of the measure pro-
viding minimum penalty for the
Hours of Service Act, and of the law
increasing and reorganizing the In
terstate Commerce Commission.
Senator Holle Smith, one of the au-
thors Of tho Agricultural Extension
bill, in newspaper interview, ex-
pressed his cordial appreciation TO
Senator Robinson for his assistance
In connection with that measure.
Some years ago Senator Robinson
received information that the Avia-
ton Section of the Signal Corps in
,Ne United States Army, as organized,
was hopeiessly inefficient. Believing
that war with Germany was probably
inevitable and that the result of the
conflict might be determined by bat
ties in the air, he caused an exposure
of conditions IN this service which
brought about its complete reorgani-
cation and started it on a rapid Ad-
vance towards its present state of re-
r3arkable development and efficiency.
So II taight appear that the ancient
philosophy concerning old men for
counsel and young men for war, has
been put on a practical workable ba-
sis in these later days. There was Il
time when new senators sat around
and looked wise for ii ts# years before
getting into the center of things Net
so with Joe t. RObinson-hecause he
never was built that way The ag-
eressive enthusiasm of youth that
made him $ big success in the lower
house has kept his Keyed up to the
performance of heavy tasks. and the
discharge OF great responsibilities tn
the Senate. There was no period OF
"SittiEe around" waiting for the cal.
endar to Feeofa longevity IN his sens
toriaI career. He sfarteo eat as real
senator the day he arrived III @asY
ington to take the oath of ofiieei aRd
as his first term draws toward a close.
he has marked I'D q record of service
41,o4 ,,,o,.o op Jsc ~ IN