Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1918-01-05
Senators Start Their Battle
for Government Owner
ship of Lines After the
War.
Keynote Sounded by Sena-
tor johnson in Statement
That if the People Are to
Foot the Bills They Should
Own the Railroads.
BY L. c. MARTIN.


Washington, Jan. s. Government
ownership advocates, headed by Sen
ator Johnson, California, began their
fight in congress today to prevent re-
turn Of the railroads to private in
terests.
simultaneously Senator Smoot, Utah.
completed for introduction a radical
revenue bill, embodying all the prin-
ciples Of wealth CONSUMPTION fathered
by the Johnson Borah progres-ives at
the last session.
Senator johnson sounded the aoy-
eminent ownership keynote when he
said If the people are to foot the bills
for railroad improvements they should
own the lines permanently.
MUST GET MONEY BACK.
All through the coming battle over
railroad control legislation asked by
President Wilson, government owner
ship advocates will sound this slogan:
IF the peoples money goes into the
railroads the only way to get it back
will be to take the roads for the peo-
ple"
Cummins, Kenyon, Borah and Hollis,
In the senate, and Heating, Doremus
and Fess, in the house, are among
those who will be found in the front
line in the fight.
Legislators today were busy anal
yzing the administration bill which
senate and house committees take up
Monday. On every hand predictions
were made Of warm fight over the
appropriation of half billion dollars
for new equipment and purchase of
railroad securities.
Director General McAdoo will be
called before the house interstate COM
merce committee next week to explain
proposed legislation.
Members of the interstate commerce
commission will be questioned con-
corning the proposed compensation
plan.
TO HEAR EXECUTIVES.
Monday the senate interstate COM
merce committee will hear the rail-
road executives, but this is expected to
be largely a resume of the railroads
efforts to unity the systems.
But administration leaders in both
houses are determined the hearings
shall not delay the legislation. Lead
ers in the house are refusing to state
their position on government owner
ship, claiming that the problem now
is to give sufficient legislation to make
federal control success.
Chairman Simms and Majority
Leader Kitchin believe the government
ownership question should be settled
after the government has some expe-
rience of operation.
WAR REVENUES.
with the railroad fight about to be-
gin, congress faced a renewal Of last
sessions bitter battle over war rev.
enues. Senator Smoot was prepared
today to introduce his bill amending
the income and excess profits sections
Of the war revenue law. Smoot will
take up to 80 per cent of war prof
its, eliminating entirely the present
scheme of excess profits taxes, deter
mination Of which depends on the
amount Of capital.
Nobody needs to know a concerns
capital to figure the war profits tax
my bill provides" said Smoot today.
War profits are computed with ref
erence to five pre-war years. instead
of three. This takes care OF the lum-
Der and cotton Industries. affected by
abnormal conditions in the three year
pre-war period.
my bill does not greatly change
the income tax schedules, but 1t COM
bines all the levies now listed in two
or three laws. 50 that a taxpayer can
readily figure out what he owes"
Smoot's bill will be opposed by adj
ministration leaders, who don't want
any tampering with the revenue law
this session. Many other legislators.
however, will welcome the opportunity
Shoots bill gives them of dismember-
ing the present law.
INCREASE IN FARES.
Large passenger fare increases after
the British plan. are understood to bo
under consideration as q last resort.
Selection of the four men Of tho
wage board which will probe for Nc
Adoo the justice Of railroad brother
hood wage demands also was under
way. Interstate commerce Commits
sioner Woolley was reported as prob
able choice for one OF the posts.
Increases granted, McAdoo stated.
will be operative from Jan. 1, 1918.
Meantime, moderating weather
ing of the freight congestion. Jams
at big cities and junction points were
rapidly melting away, while coal for
freezing New England moved in added
volume Of 500 cars q day.
Federal operation Of express COM
panies appeared ahead ~ the next big