Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-11-18
RAIL WAY PROBLEM
DUE FOR SOLUTION
SENATE AND HOUSE WILL PASS
cUMMlNS AND EScH BILLS
BEFORE VERY LONG.
COINCIDE in MANY RESPECTS
Both Seek to Prevent Strkes-Former
Provides for Creation Of Federal
transportation Board, but This
May Be Changed.
BY JAMES p. HoRNApAY.

BY JAMES p. HORNADAY.
Neutrality-suspicious. as a whole
is about ready TO tackle the railroad
problem. In due time the senate will
pass bin which will bear the name
of Senator Cummins of Iowa, chair
man of the committee on Interstate
commerce, and the house will pass
bill which will bear the name of Rep
reSentative Esch of Wisconsin, chair
man of the committee on interstate
and foreign commerce. These bills as
they viii go to the respective legisla-
tive branches will in some respects
be identical, but there will be substan-
tial differences which will have to be
ironed out in conference.
1t seems reasonably certain now
that the principal difference will be
that the senate bill will contain a pro-
vision for the creation of transpor-
tation board which will take over the
administrative functions of the inter
state commerce commission and leave
the commission the rate-making pow
ers which it now has. The house bill
in its present form does not contain
any provision for the creation of
transportation board, and a majority
of the members of the house commit
tee on interstate and foreign com
merce have expressed themselves in
favor of comforting on the interstate
commerce commission full authority
in the matter of the regulation of the
railroads.
The senate bin pfescribes a definite
fule for rate making ana makes pro-
vision for the distribution of excess
earnings. The bill provides that the
interstate commerce commission shall
prescribe rates that will yield J1s per
cent on the aggregate property value
of railroads in given rate-making
group. To this may be added one-half
Of l per cent for unprOductive I'M
provements. Should any road earn
more than 6 Der cent on the value of
its property the excess earning would
be divided equally between the car
Tier earning the money and a contin-
gent fund in the transportation board
Both Provide Against Strikes.
Both bills as they will go from the
committees to congress for cOnsdera-
ton viii contain provisions designed
to prevent the transportation systems
from being tied up by nationwide
strike. The senate committee has
voted TO insert in its bill provision
making it unlawful for railroad EN-
ployees to strike. The house commit
tee has gone only so far as to provide
for the creation of a tribunal which
would have the final word in disputes
between the employer and the en-
ployee. One of the matters sill in
controversy is as to whether legisla-
ton shall be attempted which will TO
any extent abridge the authority of
the states over interstate rates and the
regulation of purely intrastate com
merce.
Both bills in their present form
contain provisions designed to stabil-
ize the rate situation during the
period Immediately following the sur
render of federal control. There is
little doubt that the final bill will
contain a provision that existing rates
Interstate and intrastate-shall re-
main in effect until changed by either
the interstate commerce commission
Or the state commissions.
The final bill as passed will greatly
enlarge the regulatory powers of the
government over matters relating TO
car service, terminals, pooling of facil-
tiles. etc. If transportation board is
created those regulatory functions will
be vested in it; if the interstate COM
merce commission remains as the sole
regulatory body, bureaus and sub
divisions will have to be created by it
TO take care of additional work.
It is practically certain that if a
transportation board is not created
the membership of the interstate com
merce commission will be increased
from nine to eleven or thirteen MEM
bers. Congress is confronted with a
somewhat widespread demand that
the government shall surrender the
this calendar year. The railroad com
| misSiOnerS of the various states who
! met in annual convention in Indian
apoliS recently adopted a resolution
asking that the transfer be made at
the end of the year. and congress al
ways gives consideration to a resolu-
ton with The states behind it in such
an expressive way. But there are
many obstacles in the way of dispos-
ing of the railroad legislation between
now and January 1.
To Extend Vocational Training.
Further extension of the educa-
tiOnal activities of the federal gov
eminent is provided by congressional
legislation now nearing the finish
ing stages. Just before the United
States entered the war congress made
provision for vocational education for
normal people. in cooperation with
the states. Under that legislation large
sums are now being spent annually
for vocational educational work. the
government paying one-half the ex-
pense and the state. If it chooses TO