The Washington times., 1919-11-18
VET0OF RAIL
RATE BILL IS
SENT SENATE
BY PRESIDENT

President Wilson today vetoed the
Cummins rate bill, which would have
restored to the Interstate Commerce
Commission its pre-war power over
railroad rates.
The veto will be forwarded to
Congress today.
President Was Supreme.
Under Government railroad control,
the President has had the power to
make rates, and did make several re-
visions upward. The Cummins bill
would have forced the President,
through the Railroad Administration,
to go before the Interstate Commerce
Commission just as the railroad them
selves had to do before Federal con-
troll.
The Cummins bill also would have
forced those in charge Of the rail-
roads, under Federal control. to seek
approval of the various State railroad
commissions In matters affecting in
terstate traffic.
During the y ar the appeeiAent had
the same power over Interstate and
intrastate rates.
Text sf Veto Message.
The Presidents veto message was
in part as fellows:
This bill deprives the Government,
while still charged with the exclusive
responsibility for operating the rail-
roads during Federal control, of any
power to make any change in any
intra-state rate, fare, charge, cIassi-
fication, regulation or practice, with
out first having secured the approval
of the proper State regulating tribu-
nal.
THE immediate effect of sucn a
change in the law would be to deprive
the Fedral Govrnment of the ability
to cope promptly and decisively with
operating emergencies which are now
arising. and must continue during the
existing period of heavy traffic.
II believe that ii is a far sounder
general principle to vest in the Fed
eral Government the power TO raise
the revnu to oprate the railroads
when the Federal Government alone
is responsible for paying the bills for
their operation.
Wants Control Absolute.
The broad question of eenera,
principles, which l have just discuss.
ed. might perhaps be waived in view
n
troll; but the practical emerRencies To
which / have referred, are matters
with which the Federal Government
must deal day by Gay in the discharge
OF it's responsibility, and do NOT
think its ability to deal with them
promptly and conclusively should he
impaired, even during a brief nerIod
OF Federal control"
The President declared that tho
operation OF refrigerator cars onIv
recently had shown the need of Tho
Federal power for Consignees found
OBTAINING cars beyond a reasonable
time. He also declared the bill would
interfere with the Railroad Adminis-
tration plans for heavy loading OF
grain cars.
President Wilson said he would not
object to the bill IL modified so that
1t would meet these objections. and
would not bring into question the
validity OF orders already issued by
the Railroad Administration.
Speaking OF the vote Senator Cum
Minis said:
The measure has hung fire so long
that II is Of but little consequence
| do not contemplate anv acttor to
pass the measure over the Presidents
veto. Circumstances make il nractic-
ally impossible to take anv action nm
til next month. BY that time, the
intervening period until the railroads
are turned back to their private
owners be 80 short that the proyi-
,ions would have little effect.
1.-The passage Of permanent ,e1,s
ation would nullify the effect of the
measure. We hope to have the ner-
nanent legislation passed as soon as
possible"