The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1920-03-12
Railway Reorganization Bill Is
Passed Despite Opposition
OF Organized Labor.
COLBY TO SUCCEED LANSING
Selection o. Former Bull Mooser 10 q
0urprtss-Psacs With Soviet Russia
Coming Nsarsr-"Rum Rebellion"
In Northern Peninsula Of
Michigan.
y EDWARD W. PACKARD.

Ofkanlxed labor lost Its fight against
the Cummins- Esch railway bill, for
the conference report on the measure.
after being approved by the house, was
adopted In the senate by vote Of AZ
70 10. The debate was unexpectedly
brief. the opposing senator's combining
their remarks to explanations Of their
vote. The result was made only the
more certain by the efforts of the
labor leaders to prevent passage of
the bill. Senators Of both parties ex-
pressed their resentment of the tactics
employed. and Myers OF Montana made
an especially bitter attack on Gompers
and his allies and on those who would
cater to the labor vote.
The measure went at once to the
president. and 30 did the arguments
and appeals Of the labor leaders. The
latter urged the president to veto the
bill. and then prepared an elaborate
brief presenting their side Of the con.
troversy. Their request for veto was
seconded by the Farmers National
council. though other farmers orgnni-
nations approved the legislation. The
general belief was that Mr.. Wilson
would sign the bill after It had been
passed on by Attorney General Palmer,
to whom he submitted Il. The heads
Of the railway brotherhoods and other
labor leaders were calm In their dis.
cusslons of the measure and expressed
the belief that there would be no gen.
eral strike OF the rnll workers. though
they were confident Of their power to
call a waikout that would tie up the
transportation systems of the entire
country. What they seem to want
most Il the creation OF a tribunal on
which the workers and management
shall be represented, independent of
the wage adjustment machinery pro-
vided by the bill. They believe the
men and their employers can come 10
agreements without the Intervention OF
the public.
! With the roads going back 10 the
owners on March I. the governments
statistical experts spent the week In
estimating the advances In freight
rates and possibly passenger fares nee
essary to put the railways on sound
footing. Opponents of the bill said
the public. through Increased rates.
would be made to pay ut least az
per cent on the old watered stock. hut
the experts assert that the increased
value OF properties has squeezed out
the water. and that anyway. the rates
will be based not on inflated book
values but on real valuation.
The whole matter OF railroad legls-
iation. with government ownership In
the background. win be injected into
politics this year. according 20 the Ia
bor chiefs. Under the leadership of
Gompers. they will endeavor To Sc
cure the election TO congress OF can
hidates Of either party who viii be IN.
vorabie To labor and who will agree 10
push amendments to the Cummins-
Esch measure.
President Wilson sprung another of
his surprises on the country wednes-
dry With the announcement that he
had selected Rainbridge Colby OF New
York To succeed Mr.. Lansing ms sec
rotary of state. The wise ones had
predicted that the place would go TO
either Secretary Baker ar Undersecre-
tary of State Polk. The friends OF