Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-02-28
RAILROAD BILL
PASSES SENATE
Provides for Government Con.
troll for 10 Months After
Close of War.
SHORT LINES INCLUDED.
Measure A. Adopted Appropriate~ Re.
volvins Fund Of s500.0 900 for
Federal Operation.

Of railroads until IS months after the war,
including many ''short lines" and APP
propriatlng a revolving fund of $500 O0o, 900
for federal operation was passed to-day
by the Senate without a roll call, and
now awaits action in the House where 1t
Is under debate.
In the vote on the Cummins amendment
to bring the short lines into the federal
! system Senators Dillingham;: and Page
voted In the affirmative.
Both SENATE and House worked through
to-day's holiday to expedite the legisla-
ton. General debate was concluded to-day
in the House and arrangements made to
consider amendments tomorrow under 4
fve-minutc debate rule with view to final
action early mex: week. Differences be-
tween the Senate and House drafts then
will be adjusted in conference.
! Neither o.: final passage .Uf on
numerous rcll calls to-day in the Senate
was. there any record of sentircne on the
bill MS a whole. The agreement OF the
Senate interstate commerce committee
under which the compromise draft was
brought in virtuaIly precldded important
revision. TIE OILY amendment radically
changing he compromise draft provided
for inclusion of 'shcr. line" railroads in
federal control and benefits.
| FRON tSlONS REIAlNED.
! Provisions Of tne committee compromise,
| fixing the compensation of railroads to
the three year basis providing the $500. OOO,-
ono revolving fund appropriation, authori-
izing the President to initiate rates subject
| to Interstate Commerce Commission vote,
and limiting government control to Is
months after the war, all were retained
by the Senate.
| Amendments GO reduce the period Of con-
troll after peace is declared failed. One by
Senator Lodge Of Massachusetts to make
+, the time limit six months instead of Is
months was defeated, AZ to %, and another
by Senator King Of Utah to make the pc
Rod IL months likewise was rejected As
to 49, There was no attempt to-day to re-
vive the fight for indefinite government
control. which was defeated yesterday by
the decisive vote Of 81 to 10.
Provision for the "short line" railroads
was made in an amendment by Senator
Cummins Of Iowa, adopted 5S to A. In
dependent feeders of the trunk lines esti-
mated to be worth more than a billion
dollars are affected. Fears expressed by
many senators to-day that the short
lines" would become bankrupt If not
brought within government control was
the basis of the Senate's action.
Director-General McAdoo has opposed
the legislation for the short lines on the
ground that no railroads except those
selected as necessary to government
unifcation and successful operation should
be brought within federal direction and
aid.
Determined efforts to reduce the govern
ment compensation to railroad owners
failed. AS passed the measure provides
that approximately $9i5.OOO,0OO will be
49, xl.a;~
standard net return for the three years
period ending June 80, 1917
OTHER AMENDMENTS DIE.
Senator Cummins offered amendments
providing. respectively, that such net re-
turn should not be above five, six and
seven per cent of their capitalization
They were defeated 46 to 10, As to "a and
Al to o. respectively.
Amendments designed to limit scope of
the Presidents orders in operating the
carriers also were voted down. A pro-
posal by Senator Sterling Of South Da-
kota, to keep in effect the present laws and
function governing the Interstate Com
merce Commission and State railway COM
missions was rejected by viva voce vote,
while one by Senator Hitchcock of Ne
braska, to limit the Presidents orders to
act specifically authorized by law was
, beaten 46 to 20.
KIRBY AMENDMENT KILLED.
, Also the Senate rejected, So to II. a
motion by Senator Kirby of Arkansas
, to strike out the provision authorizing
the President to buy and sell railroad
securities.
The substitute bill of Senator Town
send of Michigan, a member of the Inter-
state Commerce Committee. was rejected,
81 to IA. He said 1t was patterned vir-
tually after the compromise draft but
with many alleged defects eliminated.
In his effort to reduce the President
Jurisdiction over rates, Senator Cum
minis proposed that he be authorized to
| initiate only rates Of troops and govern
ment materials and merely to suggest
, rates to the Interstate Commerce Com
, mission. but not effectiv. until the COM
| mission approved them. This amend.
{ ment was rejected 80 10 10.
Representative Lerroct Of Wisconsin
, republican, vigorously criticised the bill
In ths House to-day. declaring it con-
tanned many inace"raci's and absu- il
8 tics.
a Re preventative Ecyburn OF Texas OPP
n posed government ownership of the roads
n AID AdvccA.ca time lroit n" government,
. control;