The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-09-02
Interstate Commerce
 Subcommittee Submits
 Measure On Railroads
Would Have Lined Privately Owned Carefully Super vised By Government and Would Prohibit
 Strikes and Iockouts.

Washington, Sept. 2-Privato own ership and operation of railroads in a number of regional systems under strict government control with strikes and lockout of railroad em- ploycs prohibited, is the plan for per lnanent railroad legislation submitted to the Senate today by the Interstate Commerce subcommittee.
 A tentative bill embodying the sub committees recommendations which bear no resemblance to the Plumb Plan, had been introduced by Chair man Cummius and referred to the full Interstate Commerce Committee. The bill is the result of many months of hearings and work by the sub committee which. besides NIT. Cum mins, includes Senators KCEoEg, of Minnesota, and PoindeXter, of Wash inRton, Republicans, and Pomerene, of Ohio, and Robinson, of Arkansas, Democrats.
 salient provisions of the Cummins bill include:
 Termination of government control and return of the railways to private ownership on the last day of the month of enactment.
 Supervision and control of virtually ell railroad affairs, including rates, wages, operations and financing, by the government.
 Creation of a new railway transpOr- tation board of five members appoint ed by the President to supervise rail- way development and operations sub joct to final action of the Interstate Commerce Commission.
 Creation of a new committee of was ses and working conditions, com posed equally of represa antatives of em- ploycs and employers, with wide au- thority in settling labor questions, sub ject to devision of the transportation board and interstate commerce com mission.
 Prohibiting strikes and lockouts of railroad employees under fine and inn prisoument penalties.
 Defining a new policy for cOncen- tration in operation and ownership < new guarantee by the government of future railroad income but limita- tions made upon revenue to fair dividends based on value of proper ties fixed by the interstate commerce commission.
 The bill also provides that existing railroad payment contracts with the government shall be continued not ! longer than four months and that present rates shall continue until changed by the interstate commerce commission with provisions looking to | immediate action toward readjust- 1 ments- The keynote of the subcom- i mittoe's bill, Chairman Cummins stated in an explanation to the Sen ate. is the plan for establishment of | 20 to 25 regional rail systems
 The new method for settlement of labor disputes is a proposed commit ! ice of WI ges and working conditions ! Senator Cummins said, adding: ! "It creates a committee of wages and working conditions which is tC | be composed of eight members, four | representing labor and four repre-
 senting the railway companies. EacE ! railroad craft Is to nominate candi | dates for this committee and the | board is required to appoint foul | from such nominees. The railroad ! corporation is to nominate a can 1 didate for membership m and the board | Is to appoint four persons from amonl | such nominations This conmitte, Is to consider all complaints sub
 mitted by representatives of the em Y pIoycs or of the carriers and is t'
 decided by q majority vote and 1t
 decisions are to be certified to th' fra nsportation board. If the com
 rnIttpc of wages and working cOndi
 tons .s evenly divided upon any dis pute, tho whole matter Is to be cer tihcd to the board and the decision
 of the board Is final and constitutes