The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-02-24
SENATE VOTES
TO RETURN ROADS
7sa@fsE
Speedy Action of Upper
House Takes Labor ~
Surprise.
MAY ENDEAVOR
TO SECURE VETO
Presidents Views a. @
Measure as p a ssed
Have Not Yet Been Dis
closed.


Washington, Feb. as.-rhs I
last act on legislation required N.
of congress to provide for the.
return of the railroads to theiF
owners was completed when u19
senate late today, voting ~ TO-
is, adopted the conferences Re-
port on the Cumrins- Esch bill.
The bill having beer previous-
iy approved by the house, now
goes TO the president for his So n
nature. With March | fixed u
the date for the return of the
roads. the time allowed to the ID
president to study the measure - 4
extremely short.
The vote was as follows:
Ayes-Ball, Brandegee, Calder,
Capper, Colt, Cummins. Curtis,
Elkins, Fernald F'relinghuysen,
Hale, Jones CWash). Kellogg.
Kenyon. ksyes, Lenroot, Lodge,
Mclean. McNary, Nelson. New.
Page, Phipps. Poindexter. Smoot,
Townsend Wadsworth. Warren
and Watson, Republicans--32
Becham. Fletcher. Gay. Class.
Myers. Phelan, Pomerene, Rams
dell, Robinson, Shields Smith
tGa.), Smith tMaryiand), Under
wood. Walsh MONTY, and VIII
liams, Democrats-15.
Total for the bill. ~.
Noes-Borah, France. Gronna.
Republicans. syassss
Ashurst, Dial. Gore, Harris.
Harrison, johnson Is ID, Jones
IN. ny, King. Mcclellan. Nugents
Ovcrman, Pittman. Sheppard,
and Tramrnel, efnocrafs--I4s
Total against the bill {. ass
There was considerable specula-
ton INDUCED in today by men1NQf1
of congress interested in the leetsta-
ton as to whether or not the pre-
ident will sign it. This speculation
was increased by study of the two
elements of opposition to the meas
ure which developed during the sesa-
ate debate on the conference repoEk
The chief opposition comes from the
forces of organizhI labor. who de-
sire to have government control ex-
tended for two years more In order
that a thorough test may be made Of
the policy OF Public ownership. and
from the representatives of South.
ern states, who fear that some Of the
short line roads in those states fare
badly at the hands OF the highly or
ganized trans-contincntal systeinS
under the Ia per cent guaranty
provision.
A number Of the Democrats III the
senate and house who opposed fhe
measure are already planning ID
bring pressure to bear upon the pres
ident to get him to veto the bill. s IL
The celebrity with which SenAt0i
Cummins. chairman OF the commits
tee prevailed upon the senate to saci
upon the conference report caught
the forces of organized labor nan.
hing. They had planned to hold Z
series OF group meetings to dt4cW4I
the presidents proposals for ware
increases and lay out a plan Of ~.
ton to prevent the conference report
on the railroad measure from ~.
law. They were cons8dexs
ably surprised to learn that the I'm.
ate. after only one day OF debate. h46
PASSED the bill On to the presidenG L
The labor men are now Exea4ly
concerned as to whether they WiIIm&S
able to get their objections to III
measure to the attention OF tho pGSSs
ident before he Shall have signeA ID
Senator Cunlmins called up the con
ference report after the senate TX
listened to the reading Of Washfngtu0l
farewell address by Senator Pomsr4SS
OF Ohio. The debate ran throu9iyuxl
the day. and the vote by which tia ~
p. NJ. - M
Throughout the debate the provfstoslI
must subjected to attack and cS44
cism were those providing for the41REs
and one half per cent guaranty and 4Al
restrictions designed to prevent strtklol
on the part of the railway employs
There was also general criticism II
Samuel Gompers and the American Fe0
GRAFTON of Labor. and OF the policy i
the organization IN seeking to preyen
TIE enactment Of the bill. ~,
INCOME PROVISIONS. 4
Senator Cummins defended this gmG1r
anty provision. by saying that IL ~
not guaranty at all. but msrely~s,
direction" to the Interstate commArE
commission to adjust the rates ID thA
a return Of Eve and one-half per u9.n
shall be derived, He said the eovAFn
Eient does not promise any given IN
income to any railway. but that thAsta
come depends on the straffic ana III
conditions under which II Is operAkbd
Regarding the antt-strike provis4el
Senator Cummins said the senate con
ferees yielded to the house with Grea
reluctance" He said the princiyse ~
easss n sezs1ses srrgss s~sxx
'irgly right" and that RIA ti1na
come when railway employees win ~
seek to be protected through ~ ~
dunn OF strike. The senator AAxt1
10 me II Is abfl6rrent that the s391NC
rnent OF q government tribunal e41
passed of fair. high minded men tn
takes into consideration the rta&1 n
iasA and speAss for tho pkSb1
can he oyertfrewn or disregard u
any class Ok our citi1enA.
tic public interest REQUIRES 1llD
insnt 70 4ssnrne juriSdtsti