New-York tribune., 1920-02-24
Conference ReportAdopt-
ed Without Effort to
Observation-Disclosures
spiteCompers Threat
Union Heads Ask
Measure Be Vetoed
Republicans and Demo-
Gratis Assail Demands
Made by the Workers

WASHINGTON, Feb. %. - The
railroad bill, providing for the re-
turn of the roads to private owner
ship and operation on March l,
passed the Senate late to-day and
was sent to the White House for
President Wilson's approval.
The Senate adopted the confer
ence committee bill without change,
and only one roll call was taken.
That was on final passage, Al Sem
ators voting for the bill and II
against
No effort was made by any pro-
labor Senator to have the labor pro-
visions of the bill eliminated, despite
the manifesto of President Samuel
Gompers of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor and other union lead
ers that organized labor would fight
every member of Congress who
voted for the bill.
No Champion of Labor
The opposition of labor to the rail-
road measure did not have single
champion in the Senate during the five
hours IN which the bill was debated.
Democrats and Republicans joined in
attacking organized labor's demand
that the bill be defeated, as move
to force the roads into a panic after
proclamation Mach 1, so that perma-
nent government ownership of the car
riers could be demanded.
Senator La Toilette, of Wisconsin,
who had intended to make the fight
for labor, was too ill to be present.
The Senators who did attack the bill
said they opposed it because it per-
petuated the long and short haul fea-
lures of the existing Interstate Com
merce act.
How Senators Voted
Those voting to adopt the report
we're:
REPUBLICANS
Ball, Brandegee, Calder, Capper. Colt.
Cummns. Curtis, Elkins. Fernald Freling-
huysen, Hale, Jones tWashington), Kellogg.
Kenyon. Keyes, Lenroot, Lodge. Mclean,
-'i0->diy, 4Seison New, rage, Phlpps, POin-
dexter, Smoot. Spencer. Sterling, Sutherland
Townsend. Wadsworth, Warren and Watson.
Total, 80.
DEMOCRATS
Beckham, Fletcher, Gay. Glass Meyers.
Phelan. Pomerene. Ransdell. Robinson.
landl. Underwood. Walsh (Montana) and
Williams. Total, Is.
Total for adoption, A.
Those voting against the report weres
REPUBLICANS
Borah, France ana Gronna. Total. 3.
DEMOCRATS
johnson (South Dakota), Jones New Mex
ico) King. McKelar. Nugent. Overman,
fittman, Sheppard and Trammell. Total, a.
Total against adoption, II.
Those paired were:
Bankhead, for, with Culberson, against;
Mccormick. for, with Henderson. against
Dillingham; for. with Swanson. against
Fall. for, with Kendrick. against; Simmons.
tor. with Kirby, against: McCumber for
with LaFollette, against: Harding, for. with
Walsh (Massachusetts). against: Edge, for.
with Owen. against
Rumors of Veto Heard
The sponsors Of the bill in Congress
confidently expect the President to sign
the measure and without delay. The
railroad union heads, however, have
appealed to the President to veto it,
and rumors have been circulated freely
at the Capitol that the bill will be re-
turned without the Presidents sigma
terc.
Senator Pittman, of Nevada, an Ad-
ministration Senator, in opposing the
passage of the measure, to-day warned
Senator Poindexter, Republican, of
Washington, that it may be vetoed.
If this bill does not become a law
and is returned to Congress, as l ex-
pect it viii be-" said Senator Pittman,
the Senator will have an opportunity
TO vote to eliminate the long and short
haul provisions of the law"
Not Guaranty of Income
Senator Cummins, in calling up the
bin, declared that the essentials of
the House and Senate bills regarding
g specific rate of earning had not been
changed. He continued:
But while its phraseology has been
somewhat changed, it is essentially the
same, with two exceptions, namely, the
period in which the SIX per cent basis
IS TO continue as q direction to the
interstate Commerce Commission has
been reduced from five years to two
years, and the division of excess earn
lngs or income, instead of being one
half between and 7 per cent of the
value Of the property and one-quarter
above per cent, is now one-half to the
! company and one-half to the govern
ment throughout.
ITO prejudice it among the people it
has been termed guaranty of income.
This is not true in any sense of the
phrase. There is guaranty N the
| bill of the standard return and against
deficits, continuing for six months af-
ter the railways are returned to their
owners, but this was in substance in
both bills, and apparently has not ex-
cited any considerable criticism, for. in
view of the circumstances, it's neces-
sity is obvious.
Section now 15a) is not a guar
anty, and does not approach guaranty
even remotely. Not a dollar is to be
i. paid from the Treasury on account of
its provisions, and no obligation what
ever on the part of the government is
created. 1t is direction to an ad-
ministrative tribunal that, in so far as
II may be practicable. the commissions
shall make rates which will YIELD A net