The sun., 1919-10-07
RAILROAD BILLS
NEARLY FINISHED
Cummins Measure Probably
gill Be Reported Within
Two Weeks.
COMMITTEE NOT AGREED
Understood Only One Member
Does Not Favor Anti
Strike Provision.
Special Despatch to THE Sun.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6.-The railroad
bill, on which the Senate Interstate Com
, merce Committee has been working for
, sveral months. probably will be reported
! IN the next ten days or two weeks. The
, committee, according to Chairman Cum
Minis (Iowa). is not yet by any means
agreed on all matters but 1t is fast APP
: preaching a meeting of minds
A. With, it is believed, the exception Of
. only one member, the committee Is
agreed that the anti-strlke provision in
. effect and substance shall remain In the
!. measure There will be no modifica-
. tons of its effectiveness and efficiency,
. no far as giving jurisdiction to the Gov
. eminent to settle disputes between the
4, companies and the men Is concerned.
Strikes will be forbidden on the theory
. that the justice sought through the
strike will be exchanged for the justice
that will be obtained through the Gov
eminent
As to the assurance of earnings on
capital the committees attitude Is that
in any rate district the rates are to be
T, adjusted to produce a net operating IN
come for all the railroads in the district
equal 10 8 " per cent of the value Of the
property used in the public service. One
road may earn moro, another less than
that percentage. but 1t will represent the
aggregate and average for all. A maxi
mum will be fixed at probably 6 per
cent, with a provision that q road earn
ing more than that amount shall retain
a fourth of the excess Of 8 per cent.
The original plan of a bonus to labor
practically has been eliminated, because
employees themselves did not want it
and the committee was convinceG=5hat
they had good reasons for not desiring II.
After giving to the company earning
Il a fourth of the excess of per cent.
that 1t has earned, the rest will be di-
Nded. The company earning such ex-
cess Is required to establish a company
contingent fund, to be accumulated till
st amounts to per cent. of the value of
the property, as a safeguard against the
requirements Of lean years. The re-
T. mainder of the excess shall be put into
, general contingent fund. deposited
, with the Government and administered
: by It and to accumulate till 1t reaches
= $500, 100000. 1t will be used to lift the
. general level Of earnings OF the weak
/. roads, to lend to them in case of need
. and generally to increase the efficiency
/, Of the transportation system.
Concerning distributing surplus ex-
. ceeding per cent there has been a
&: huge constitutional controversy among
/, the authorities Judge Lovett, Judge A
P. Thorn, Charles e. Hughes and long
/. list OF others are sure 1t is unconstitu-
= tional Elihu Root and several other
: lawyers agree that 1t is sound.
a The substantial basis of the plan, con-
/. solidation. stands firm. The committee
. is committed to it and convinced that
!, 1t is necessary to a settlement Of the
: present transportation problem.
, Members of the committee declare that
(. the Senate will pass the measure in
F.. three weeks from its Introduction, which
: does not mean that its appearance in
+. the statute books easily is to be fore
$ casted. That action of the House is
> certain to occupy considerable time and
the conference committee stage will ad-
= mittedly be the most difficult Of all
. That the legislation will be passed be-
. fore the first OF the new year is rather
f.. too optimistic guess even for the most
/, hopeful of its supporters. but they dc
4. believe 1t will como early In 1920.