The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1919-11-20
RAILROAD BILL
PASSEDBY HOUSE
WILL NOT BE TAKEN UP IN SEN
ATE UNTIL REGULAR DE-
CEMBER SESSION

Washington, Nov. 1.-THE railroad
bill, providing for private ownership
and operation of rail carriers under
board of federal supervision, was
passed by the House, 203 to 159. The
measure goes to the Senate but it
will not be taken up there until the
regular session in December.
A majority of the Democratic MEM
bers opposed the bill, after their fail
ure to eliminate the provIA on for
government guarantee OF revenues Of
the carriers for the first six months
of renewed private operation.
Representative Sims, Of Tennessee,
ranking Democratic member Of the
House interstate commerce commit
tee that framed the measure, led the
fight on the guaranty, declaring a
subsidy. A motion to eliminate it
was defeated, 200 to 165, on substan-
TALLY political division
The House reaffirmed, 253 to ..112,
its stand on the labor sections, pro-
viding only for voluntary conciliation
Of labor disputes. Representative
Kitchen of North Carolina, former
Democratic leader, attacked the labor
section as leaving the settlement of
disputes largely with the, railway
unions. He declared "the brotherhoods
could nulify the provisions ten days
after passage of the bill by refusing
to appoint representatives" to the
boards created to settle controversies.
Preceding the final Showdown"
by separate roll calls, the House spent
the day in considering numerous ex-
tensions of the powers of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission. Its last
important action was to place the
commission in control of all capital
issues of the roads, after members
had declared that if similar provisions
had been in the law some years ago
none of the "disgraceful financial dis
asters" would have befallen several
big systems.
The proposed new rule for rate
making was eliminated after bitter
fight. Efforts to prevent the Inter-
state Commerce Commission from be-
ing given authority to control inter
state rates imposing an undue bur-
den" on intrastate commerce were de-
feated. By this section, the House en-
acted into law the famous "Shreve-
port case" after which intrastate
rates in the Southwest generally were
increased to remove a discrimination
found to have existed against Shreve-
port in favor of Dallas.
The railroad bill, as passed by the
House, does this:
PROVIDES capital and insures the.
financial future of the lines during
the period Immediately after private
operation is renewed; creates ma
chinery for the voluntary conciliation
of labor troubles and extends federal
authority over rail transportation by
increasing the power Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
Federal control would end with the
month in which the bill is enacted,
and rates continue in effect for six
months unless changed. Roads arc
ordered to ask the Interstate Com
merce Commission for general rate
advances within sixty days and gov
ernment guaranty is denied carriers
failing to do so.
As a guaranty the government
agrees that the revenues of the car
riers for the first six months Of re-
newed private operation shall equal
the standard return paid during fed
eral control as rental for the use of
the lines. Short line railroads and ex-
press companies would also receive
their guaranty.
Government fve-year loans at 6
per cent also may be obtained by the
lines within twenty-six months after
the end of federal control, and to car
w ont the proyision $3.50. 900, 900 is
made available.