Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1920-02-26
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
47 to 17-NoW Up to
President.


Washington, Feb. 23.-Organized la
Dor lost it's fight to defeat the railroad
bill when the house, after tive-hour
debate, adopted the conference report
on the measure by majority OF loo
votes.
The yeas were 25O, nays $50, with
one member ''present." Previously a
motion to recommit the bill, made by
Representative Barkley 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 1 under
the proclamation issued some time
ago.
Esch Leads Fight for Bill.
Republican Floor Leader Mondell
made the final appeal for the confer
ence agreement, and the result showed
nearly all the majority party members
in line Representative Esch of Wis
cOnSin, chairman of the committee on
author of the original house bill, LED
the forces favoring the report. ChamL
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 bill
was based on the financial and labor
provisions. Representative Sims OF
Tennessee. in charge of the fight
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 51A 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, anc
Minnesota three. There were NJ
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 A
to II, adopted the conference repOr'
on the Cummins-E Esch bill. Three Re
publicans and fourteen Democrats op
posed the act.
The bill having been previously ap
proved by the house now goes to the
president for his signature. Will
March 1 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 anC
criticism were those providing for the
51b per cent guaranty and 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 bill.
Senator CumninS defended the guar
anty provision by saying that it was
not a guaranty at all, but merely 6
"directiOn" to the interstate commerce
commission to adjust the rates SO that
return of 51a per cent shall be de
rived.
Democrat Defends Bill.
Senator Robinson Oem.), Arkan
sas, one of the conferees, said 'The
labor provisions, fairly construed, dc
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-abidine
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 hu.
man wisdom can conceive, or which
American craftsmanship may devise
Hurt by Freight Car.
Janesville, Feb. 24.-George Stock
man was painfully injured when he
was knocked down by freight car at
Milton Junction. He was walking on
the track and did not hear the train,
which was backing onto the sidetrack.
Form Livestock Board
Rhinelander, Feb. PA livestock
board organized for the purpose of i'm
proving Oneida county livestock, has