The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-12-12
RAIL BILL |S:
OFF SCHEDULE.
CAN'T BE PASSED
BEFORE THE RECESS
Means Delay in President
Turning Back the Roads
to Their Owners

WASHINGTON. Dec. lI.-Hope OF
enacting railroad legislation by January
! 1. the date on which President Wilson
has announced the roads would be
turned back to private control. virtually
was abandoned today by senate leadess.
Strong and unexpected opposition DE-
velopcd during consideration OF the
Cummins bill. designed to meet condi-
tions with .he end Of government con.
troll and ii was by slim ana narrow
margin that its advocates defeated
| motion to set IL aside and take up tho
sugar control measure.
in view Of the short time remaining
before the Christmas recess and tho
fact that the Cummins bill. II passed.
! must BE- sent TO conference with inc
E*ch bill. recently passed BY the House.
; Republican and democratic senators
predicted that 1t would not be humancl2
, possible 10 frame a law by the end OF
! the month. even If Congress- kept stead
, ily and continuously at WORK.
Friends Disappointed.
Tho days upturn was kecnly disap.
! pointing 30 friends of the Gummins bill
| which would have been passed Monday
with less than score Of senator's vol
ing except for demand By Senator La
! Toilette. II, publican. WISCONSIN. for ID
! quorum. On Gn aye and nay vote mo
bill was passed and vice president A:ar-
shall was ready TO announce the result
! when tho obvious absence OF quorum
| upset the whole proceeding and reopen"
cd discussion. still uncnding.
During the course OF an address TO.
day in which he made sharp demand
for Immediate action. Senator Under
3 wood. democrat. Alabama. took notice
Of widely circulated rumcrs that the
prcsiden: would not rcturnN the roads 10
their owners on January L. Senator
Ii 1r.nH -
! did not know what President Wilson In
: tended 10 do.
But" he added. "thc president has
said that nc would turn them back the
I first of the year an il has been my ois-
srrvatirn that when he said ned ocr.a
! thing h" did it, =.
Defended By Underwood.
Taking I'd for the time being the min
ority leadership. Senator Cnderwocd
fought Off attempts TO sidc-track tho
Fl, railroad bill and defended II against a.
tacks By members OF his own party.
While he did not approve all OF Its pro,
visions. the Alabama senator declared
Il protected tho finanCiar interests. OF
the roads and did not unduly burden
the public. ,,,,
madr BY, senator la Toilette. who AZ:
! ready had spoken two full days snd VIII
has not yet approached the end OF hia
long address,. After he had been stead
/ lily assailing the measure Tor two hours.
! Senator La Toilette temporarily yt:!ds Z
tho floor to Senator Mckeilar. Dem ,crai
Of Tennessee. who was ,procC cd nS 10
demand elimination OF certain pl olsHc
when he halted suddenly and announc.-I
that he did not intend to speak to cnpt,-
benches. -
; In the long snarl in which the senate
found itself while trying TO decide tG
han HfOh, -hof1 f1,sal
! 10 continue with the railroad or take NJ
the sugar bill. the lack of interest In
pending railroad legislation was bitter,
ly attacked from both sides OF ths
day in quorum calls, which Senator
Snoot. Republican. Utah, denounced n3
! incXcusablc with n vitally importan.
question before congress But In the
/ wranglc-not on the sugar bill itseie.
but the question Of taking Il up--Re.
| publicans and Democrats had on Their
fighting clothes: with the discussion
running far nficld.
etor La Toilette declared its enactment
would add to the cost Of living because
of m increase in freight rates would
come with the end Of g9verpment con.
entity successful. Senator La Folletts
said he had been assured by competent
men in tho railroad administration :
that the crest Of the hill had been
fnIclpu, Hhu lHbl opSi -
ton would show n profit from this
time on and that thrfc would be NJ
need for an increase in rates"
Opposed BY McKsllar.
Senator McKcllar's particular objec-
lion to the Cummins bill was that 4.
would take n part OF tho earnings fropl
\ road properly managed and rendering
Efficient service. and give II to a ro1i
noorly managed and Of little benefit
i io tho public. He characterized tho
provision az "indcfcnsiblc" and declared
that there were enough constitutional
objections in the bill to demand Inn
mmliatc reconsideration.
Thcrc wns q suggestion from a num-
bcr Of senator's after adjournment to-.
night that It might be necessary to de.
for the Christmas recess. II also WIS
suggested that the senate endeavor to
ohtlu from the president statement
rs tn his plans for tho turning back OF
: tho roads. in view OF his silence on this
question since his message to the cx..
traordinary session Of congress- last
May Sorno cnotors thought thnt jt
tho president contemplated any brfeY
delay It would help in the framing ot
LEGISLATION and obviatc the risk OF un.
Wis" provisions through hasty acttoa
now IN tho light Of strong opposition
1t the Cummins bill. l.Eg