New-York tribune., 1919-02-26
Senator Martin Seeks Con-
ference With President on
Plan TO Change Fund Bill
Rate Amendment W anted
Executive To Be Asked to
Favor 81 Month Period of
After the War Control
Nee York. Tribune
Il dshin Gko7l Bureau

WASHINGTON. Feb. 25. The SEN
ate Interstate Commerce Committee,
which has been holding hearings
IN the railroad problem generally,
met this morning in executive ses-
sion, and. as has been forecast in
The Tribune, decided 10 make no rec
concentrations to the Senate either as
20 the fivcyear extension Of Federal
control, demanded by the railroad ad-
ministration, or as TO any permanent
solution of the railroad question. The
fleet of this action is to kill all pos
sbility of action on either OF these
matters at this session. And with
Republicans in control of the next
Congress, the probabilities are that
he fiveyear plan has been finally side
tracked.
On the other hand, the committee
Yoted to report favorably the Cum
the Interstate Commerce Commission
over rates, and the Poindexter bill,
TO make absolute the long and short
haul provisions Of the Interstate Com
merce act.
To Be Offered as Amendment
~ shall offer my bill" said Senator
revolving fund bill. | shall also force
vote on the floor on my bin to
prohibit the Administrations threat to
turn back the roads TO their private
owners before Congress has had
opportunity to reach permanent
solution of the railroad problems"
The attitude of the railroad admin
istration has been that the roads
should be turned back within the next
six months unless the five year ex-
tension is granted. Senator Uummlns
turning them back before the twenty
one months are up. unless Congress
in the mean time shall have reached
a permanent solution of the problem
that called for their return
An effort to amend the revolving
fund bill in similar fashion was made
IN the House, but was voted down.
According to friends of Senator Cum
minis, the Senate Appropriations Com
mittee Is generally disposed favorably
toward both OF his propositions, and
1T was limited broadly this afternoon
by several Republican Senator'S that
unless some modification of the Fed
eral control act were agreed to the
revolving fund bill. important as its
passage is conceded to be, may be held
up in the rush of the closing days.
The PoindeXter bill, which the
Interstate Commerce Commission de-
cided to report favorably, provides
that Section 4 of the interstate COM
merce act shall be amended to read
as follows:
at shall be unlawful for any COM
mon carrier subject to the provisions
OF this act to charge or receive any
greater compensation in the aggre gave
for the transportation of passengers,
or of like kind of property, for a
shorter than for longer distance
over the same line or route in the
same direction, the shorter being in
cluded within the longer distance, or
to charge any greater compensation
as through rate than the aggregate
OF the intermediate rates subject to
the provisions of this act, but this
shall not be construed as authorizing
any common carrier within terms Of
this act to charge or receive as great
compensation for a shorter as for q
longer distance.
Whenever a carrier by railroad
shall, in competition with a water
route or routes, reduce the rates on
the carriage Of any species Of freight
to or from competitive points, it shall
not increase such rates unless after
hearing, and an order granting per
mission therefor by the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
This act shall take effect sixty DAYS
after its approval by the president.' >