The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-02-23
SENATE PASSES
hI.iLROAD BILL
Places All Power in Hands Of
the President
lE.ENDMEhTS ARE DEFEATED
The Sole Power to Make Rates is
Given to Mir. WIson-The House is
Yet 20 Act.

Washington. Feb 23.-Tae admin
istration RAILROAD bill passed tie SEN
ate without a roll call.
1t provides for government control
of railroads until eign cen months
after the war, including m@ny short
lines" and appropriating a revolving
tual of $500. .'N, 900 for FEDERAL oper-
alton. The bill now awaits action in
the house, where it is under debate.
Before passing the railroad bill, the
senate adopted a resolution of Senator
Cummins, of Iowa. directing the gov
eminent to take over all short line
railroads. representing an investmen.
of 81 100000 or more. This was viz
tually the only change of importance
effected. On all other psint> the ad
ministration forces held firm.
More than a dozen amendments
were disposed of during the day. Hun
dreds of short speeches were made un
der the fve-minnute rule. The bill
could have been passed half an hour
I'D Al RaHsaeAoI
louisiana, insisted upon reading a
speech upon waterway transportation
into the record.
The bill now goes to the house,
where general debate upon a similar
measure has virtually closed and
where almost 100 amendments are
pending.
Next to the inclusion of the short
line railroads, the most interesting
step of the day was rejection OF
amendments by Senator Cummins to
limit the government return to the
roads to not more than per cent
upon their capital stock. Following
this defeat, the administration turned
down propositions to limit the amount
first to and then to per cent. Hi
ram Johnson, California, fought vail
antly for the Cummins amendment.
at seems in this time of sacrifice OF
blood and treasure we must find out
lust how much shall be paid to the
railroads." he said, sarcastically.
Once more Senator Cummins offer
ed his proposition TO give control OF
the roads during the eighteen months
after peace to board OF five men.
The senate refused this by vivi voce
vote.
Senator Lodge tried to have the
period of control after the war cut
from the eighteen months in the b1
to one-third that time This failed by
AZ to %. Senator King, of Titan, OF
fered twelve months as an alternative
Int this was defeated by As to ~. me
administration was winning all the
way.
Senator Robinson, of Arkansas. OBJ,
iected to any change in the bill AFFECT
ing the presidential authority to issue
orders. Senator Hitchcock, of Nebras
ka, wished to have the words author,
ized bv law" inserted as relating to
these presidential orders. But Robin
son. a prominent member of the inter
state commerce committee, whlcf
framed the bill, opposed this.
"Surely the senator does not WISH
the president to issue orders not au
thorized by law and in violation OF
the law" asked Senator Smith, OF
Georgia
az certa 'uly do" replied Senator
Robinson. 81 think there may be ne
cessity to issue orders not expressly
authorized by law. You can not de
fine what orders may be necessary
Rate making mower wos left in the
president as inteded in the bill. Sen
ator Cummins sought to have this
amended He offered a change specl-
fying that the commissions should
have power to suspend presidential
rates, and also should approve any
increased rates suggested by the pres
ident. This was lost by vote of 40
to "a.
Provision for the short lines affects
feeders the trunk lines estimated to
be worth more than a billion dol
lars. Fears expressed by many sena-
tors that the short lines" would be
come bankrupt if not brought within
government control was the basis OF
the senate's action.
Director General McAdoo has OPP
posed the legislation for the short
lines" on the ground that no railroads
except those selected as necessary to
government unifcation and success
full operation should be brought within
federal direction and aid.