Arizona republican., 1918-01-07
Congress To Consider Legislation Concerning
 Operation Of Railways
Republican A. p. Leased Wire]

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-Legislaton | asked by President Wilson in connec- tion with government operation of the nations railroad heads the program Of congress this week.
 Interstate commerce committees Of the senate and house meet tomorrow to begin consideration of the admin | istration railroad bill. The senate committee will hear prominent rail- road executives and the house com mittee will decide whether hearings will be held.
 The principal business before the of the Walsh Pittman coal and oil land leasing bill, designed to open up vast western natural resources.
 The senate democratic steering con- mittee will meet tomorrow to fill the vacant chairmanship of the interstate commerce committee. The leaders generally expect the selection of Sen ator Smith of South Carolina, over Senator Pomerene of Ohio.
 Woman suffrage is to be settled in the house next Thursday, when vote on the resolution for submission of the Susan B. Anthony amendment is scheduled. Hearings on the resolution will be closed tomorrow by the new D day the senate privileges and elections committee will resume consideration of Senator La Follette's alleged dis loyal St. Paul speech and make plans to begin hearings, probably with for mer Secretary Bryan as the first wit ness.
 The war inquiry of the senate mili- tary committee will continue tomor- row with further investigation of clothing conditions, and the house naval committee will resume eXamina ton of navy department heads. Investigation of the delay in con- struction merchant ships will be re- stunned Tuesday by the senate com | merce committee.
 | The coal and sugar shortage in | quiries of the senate manufactures committee will continue.
 | Several appropriation bills are near 1 ing completion for early consideration in the house.
 The rules committee of the house is preparing to take up the president S proposal for creation of q special house committee to have sole jurisdiction of water power legislation, so that the draft of & bill, prepared under the di- rection of Secretaries Lane, Baker and Houston, may be rushed through the holise and put before the senate.
 To promote more prompt unloading of freight cars, Director General Me AGoo today established rev railroad demrrrage rules for aonestic traffic, effective January 3t, continuing the present two dayl:' free time, but pro-
 vtding for increases ranging from 90
 to 100 per cent in charges thereafter.
 The director general appealed to
 shippers and consignees to help in re- leasing cars to meet the national
 emergency, and to make special ef-
 forts even before the higher demur-
 rage charges go into effect to clear terminals as a contribution to the success of the war.
 The new demurrage~ rates, approved
 by the interstate commerce commis-
 sion on application of the director
 are s3 for the first day after the two
 free days; $4 for the second day ant $1 additional for each succeeding day
 until the charge per day reaches $10 This maximum then will be charged
 for every day or fraction thereafter Much higher rates have been charged ] on the Pacific coast and in severa l other districts. throughout the east. No changes will be made for tn
 present in demurrage rates or rate ) on export freight. The new regula l tions, said Mir. McAdoo's order, "spe
 officially contemplate the cancellation of all average agreement provisions o l existing tariffs"
 Railroads are instructed to file tar ) ifs embodying the new rates with tn |. interstate commerce commission an state commissions.
 f In approving the filing of new de < murrage tariffs. the interstate com t :nerce commission took action for tn e first time on a request of the directo r general for higher rates.
 About one-fifth of the through pas fContinued on Page T~o)