Arizona republican., 1920-02-05
AGREEMENT ON
 RAIL CONTROL
 BILL |S REACHED
Senate and House Confer ees Decide on Substitute for Anti-Strike Provisions and Modify Rate-Making Powers
Republican A. p. Leased Wire1

WASHINGTON, FtSo. = Casting aside the anti-strike provision of the Cummins bill. against which labor has leveled protests and threats, and modifying the rate making clauses of the same measures, senate and house representatives today reached virtually q complete agreement on legislation designed to meet conditions growing out of the return of the railroads on March l to private control.
 Have Anti Strike Substitute
 For the anti-strike provision the committee agreed to substitute what, in effect, amounts to compulsory sub mission of wage disputes to federal board appointed by the president A number of minor differences remain to be composed but these will be worked out by Senator Cummins of Iowa, chairman of the senate managers, and Chairman ESch of the house confereeS. A final report on the legislation is anticipated late this week and efforts will be made to expedite consideration Of the report in order to insure the bills passage before March l.
 Reaching of an agreement on the Esch bill, passed by the house and the CumminS bill, enacted by the senate, broke a deadlock that has existed sev eral weeks, due principally to the house conferees' refusal to accept the anti strike provision of the latter measure. House members also have opposed the senate rate making section.
 In agreeing on labor provisions. the conferees struck out the clause of the senate bill which would virtually make strikes illegal by penalizing railroad employees or employers for entering into conspiracies for the purpose of interfering with interstate commerce and provided in lieu thereof settlement of labor disputes by boards composed equally of employees and employers. The findings of these boards must be approved by a federal board appointed by the president with the senate's ap- proval to which appeals must be taken in cases in which agreements are not reached by the other boards. While the size of the latter board has not been definitely fixed, Senator Cum mins said it would probably be of five members.
 All Glasses To Be Represented
 All classes of railroad employees, Senator Cummins said, are to have representation upon the lower wage boards. Since the government will not be represented upon these boards, the senator explained settlement of labor disputes can not be made compulsory by them but it is compulsory that in event of disagreement the dispute be referred to the federal board for set tlement.
 Under the agreement on the rate making section, return of five and one-half per cent upon the net railway operating income is guaranteed Tor period from IS months to two years after the bill becomes a jaw. The ex- act period will be fixed later by the conferees. The senate bill prescribed fivc-year period.
 Provision is also made in the com promise that, with the interstate com merce commissions approval, one-haf of one per cent of the earnings may be given to the railroad responsible for the earnings and used for such un- productive improvements as erection of terminals or elimination of grade cross ings Fifty per cent of the earnings