New-York tribune., 1920-02-26
Rail Bill Sent
Wilson,; Will
Act by March !
Prompt Decision Expected
After Department of JUS
tice Gives Opinion on
Validity of the Measure
Unions DraftingMemorial
Many Farmer Organizations
Join in Letter Asking Ap.
proval of the Legislation

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-The rail-
road bill was sent to the White House
to-day and the President is expected
to act on it one way or another before
the roads are returned to private con-
troll at 1901 a. IN. next Monday.
The measure is vigorously opposed
by the railroad brotherhoods and their
representatives, now in Washington
considering the Presidents proposal
for settlement Of their wage demands,
were drafting to-day memorial to the
Executive asking him to veto the bill.
similar request was made yester-
day by George P. Hampton, managing
director of the Farmers National
Council, who asked that the President
hear delegation from his organiza-
tlon tomorrow. Other big farmers
organizations, however, in letter sent
to the White House to-day, urged ap-
proval of the legislation.
There has been no indication from
the White House as to the Presidents
views on the matter. He has had be-
fore him for several days a digest of
the bill prepared by Director General
Hines.
Prompt Action Expected
AAteE IL was received ut the eXeCu-
tive offices to-day the bill was sent to
ion as to its validity. In the usual
course such an opinion would not be
ready under four or five days, but to
meet the present situation the depart
ment is expected to speed up its opin-
ion.
The President has ten days, excluding
Sundays, or until midnight March s,
to act on the bill before it would be-
come a law without his signature, but
since he has ordered the roads re-
turned on March l, he is expected to
act promptly.
The tanners letter asking approval
of the bill was signed by W. l. Drum
mond, chairman Of the board of gov
ernors Of the International Farm Con-
grcss, and T. c. Atkeson, Washington
representative of the National Grange.
1t pointed to the memorial drawn up
at the recent meeting here Of repre-
sentatives of the International Farm
Congress, American Farm Bureau Fed
farm"rs fTat'0n, Nqtio"a I1t;on Grange National
Congress, National Milk Producers
Federation, American Cotton Associa-
tlon. several state farmers unions and
the Dairymen's League, of New York.
This memorial declared for the safe
guarding of every right of private
property and against government
ownership or continued operation of
the railroads by the government The
farmers memorial said:
I'VE believe the spirit of these two
principles is embodied in the proposed
legislation now before you awaiting
your signature. We earnestly petit
ton you to give this legislation your
approval both because of the intrinsic
merit Of most of the provisions and
because of the necessity for settled
conditions in transportation before
the next season for crop movements"
slndividual groups of union repre-
sentatives continued to debate the po-
sition the unions would take toward
the Presidents suggested wage data
commission. Few of the fifteen organ-
cations we're near agreement.
General officers Of the unions in
terested in the wage controversy were
reported to have begun the assembling
of their objections to the railroad bill
which they expect to send to the Presi-
dent as soon as completed. This will
follow their request that he withhold
his signature from the measure pend
ing the presentation Of their claims
against it.