The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1920-02-27
HOUSE AND SENATE
O.k.RA|LROAD BILL
Both Branches of Congress Over.
ride Union Labor Demand.
DEBATE ON FLOORS BRIEF
Vote in House Stood $50 to $50, While
the Senate Passed the Measure
AZ to 17-Now Up to
President.

Washington, Feb. 23.-Organized la
Dor lost It's fight to defeat the railroad
bill Wien the house, after hve-hour
debate, adopted the conference report
on the measure by majority of lUu
votes.
The yeas were $50, nays $50. with
one member present" Previously a
motion to recOmmit the bill, made by
Representative Barley of Kentucky,
was defeated by vote of III to 229'
The president will have several days
TO act on the bill before the railroads
go back to their owners March ] under
the proclamation issued some time
ago.
Esch Leads Fight for Bill.
Republican Floor Leader MOndeil
made the final appeal fer the confer
ence agreement, and the result showed
nearly all the majority party members
IL line. Representative Esch of Wis
conSin. chairman of the committee on
interstate and foreign commerce and
author of the original house bill, LED
the forces favorIng the report. Champ
Clark, minority leader, was not pres
ent. Representative Kitchin Of North
Carolina. former party leader, was
among those attacking the bill.
Most of the opposition to the Dill
was basel on the financial and labor
provisions. Representative Sims OF
Tennessee. in charge of the hght
against the measure. and Representa-
tive Barkley. the two cOnferees refus-
ing TO sign the conference report. dealt
chiefly with the financial features. par
ticularly the provision for rates Civ
ing an average return of 51k per cent
by groups Of roads.
Most OF the middle Western mem
berS voted for the bill. Illinois, how
ever. furnished eight opposing votes,
Wisconsin six. Michigan four. and
Minnesota three. There were no
negative votes cast in the Iowa or In
diana delegations.
Senate Passes Bill.
The last act of legislation required
of congress to provide for the return
of the railroads to their owners was
completed when the senate. voting az
to II, adopted the conference report
on the Cummins-ESch bill. Three Re-
pubIicanS and fourteen Democrats Op-
posed the act.
The bill having been previously APP
proved by the house now goes to the
president for his signature. With
March / fixed as the date for the re-
turn of the roads, the time allowed
for the president TO study the meas
ure. Is extremely short.
Throughout the debate the prOvi-
siOns most subjected to attack and
criticism were those providing for the
5?A per cent guaranty md the re-
strictiOns designed TO prevent strikes
on the part of the railway employees.
There was also general criticism Of
Samuel GOmperS and the American
Federation and of the policy of the or
ganizatiOn in seeking to prevent the
enactment of the blk
Senator Cummins defended the guar
anty provision by saying that it was
not guaranty at all. but merely a
direction" TO the Interstate commerce
commission TO adjust the rates so that
a return of 51a per cent shall be de-
rived.
Democrat Defends eiil.
Senator Robinson (Dem.), Arkan-
sas. one OF the conferees, said: '1The
-laL.)r provisions, fairly construed, do
not justify the assaults made upon
them. This is not government of
labor organizations. 1t must not be
perverted in character so as to be-
come the means of denying right of
justice to any class of law~abiding
citizens"
Referring to the labor board provid-
ed for In the bill, he said:
''It is astonishing that the labor or
ganiZatiOns should assume the position
that wage demands cannot fairly be
determined by any tribunal which hui
man wisdom can conceive, or which
American craftsmanship may devise. !"