The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-11-18
FOURTH VETO BY
WILSON ON R. R.
WAR RATE BILL
Turns Back Cummings Act to
Congress Today.
Would Have Turned Rate Max
ing Over to States.
Be NO TRY At OVERRIDING
|E NO TRY At OVERRIDING
Not Till Roads Go Back to Own.
ers, Says Author.
"PreSent Practical Emergen.
cies' Cause, Says Wilson.

washington, NOV. 1S.-PreSident
Wilson today vetoed the Cummins rate
bill, which would have restored the
interstate commerce commission to its
pre-war power over railroad rates.
The veto will be forwarded to con-
gress today.
Under government railroad control
the president has had the power to
make rates and did make several revi-
sions upward. The Cummins bill
would have forced the president, thru
the railroad administration. to go be-
fore the interstate commerce commits
sion just Rs the railroads themselves
had to do so before federal control.
The presidents veto message will
be Transmitted today to the senate, in
which the bill originated
Was No Surprise.
Chairman Cummins, of the inter
state commerce committee. author of
the bill, said it was not likely that any
attempt would be made to pass the
measure over the presidents veto, as
the rate making powers of the COM
mission would be restored when the
roads were returned to private opera
tion-January l. Senator Cummins said
the presidents action was not a sur
prise
The Cummins bill would have forced
those in charge of the railroads I'M
der federal control to seek approval
Of the various state railroad commits
SONS in matters affecting intrastate
traffic.
Curing the war the president had
the same power over interstate and
intras,ate rates
The provision of the bill returning
the power of rate review to state com
missions was the cause of the presi-
dents veto. He said he had no OBJ
lection to the feature of the bill which
res ored pre-yvar powers to the inter-
seste commerce commission.
The veto message also spoke OF the
short time of federal control remain
ing. Indicating that the president has
rot changed his mind about turning
lack the roads January l.
In obiecting to the restoration of
lower to the state commissions, the
prerident said:
s"The immediate effect of such a
tlan~e in the law would be to deprive
The federal government of the ability
10 cone promptly and decisively with
operating emergencies which are now
. arisinr and must continue to arise dur
ing the existing period of heavy traf-
7 he president then pointed to the
railroad administrations stopping con-
s5~,-ees' unduIy detained refrigerator
cars and to the plans for obtaining
heavier leading of Grain as actions
tI.at would be hampere l. II not pre-
vented. uEGeE IIl0 N-uIiA4iiA4AS DAiA-
Present Emergencies Cause.
1.-THE matters I have mentioned are
illustrative of pressing practical emer-
gencies which must be dealt with
promptly if they are to be dealt with
effectively and while the federal gov
eminent alone is responsible for rail-
road oneration it ought to have within
itself the power to- deal with these
problems.
''Beyond these pressing practical
exifsencies 1 feel that it is a far
sounder principle to vest in the fed
eraI government the power to revise
the revenue to operate the railroads
when the federal government alone is
responsible for paying the bills for
their operation
The president while declaring he
did not object to the resumption of
pre-war power by the interstate COM
mcrce commission. said the Cummins
bill "atta ched q presumption of un-
reasona bleuess" to the rate changes
made under federal control
Senator CumuIins said he probably
would not reintroduce the measure,
hoping soon to pass permanent legisla-
ton.
Republican Leader Monden indi-
Gated that no effort would be made
to override the veto in the house.