The New York herald., 1920-01-27
CONGRESS FIRM TO
RETURN RAILROADS
Compromise of Senate and
House ConferreeS Follows
Lower Branch's Bill.
CLAUSE OUT
Mccormick Amendment Probably
Will Be Substituted for Drastic
Curnn1ins Provision.
(srecia. Despatch to the Herald. }


WASHINGTON, D. c., Monday.-Sen-
ate and House conferrees have practically
reached an agreement on railroad legs-
lation and expect to complete their task
tefore the end of the week. The COM
promise is along the lines OF the House
bill. In spite of tho tremendous pressure
that still is being brought =, bear to re-
tain the roads under government control
for another tvo-year period. Congress is
determined that the time has arrived for
the experiment in government operation
to stop
During the last few days it appeared
that efforts by the Senate and House
conferrees to reach an agreement would
fail and that the measure would have
to be referred back to the two chambers.
Now the conclusion has been reached
that an agreement is in sight and that
the roads will return to private owner
ship on March /, as provided in President
Wilson's proclamation.
On account Of speeches and statements
that have been made by Commissioner
Wooley. of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, one of President Wilson's recent
appointees that the roads should be re-
tanned, it has been suggested that the
President might decide in favor OF this
programme.
Members of the Senate and House and
lawyers generally now hold that the Pres-
dents proclamation is conclusive, that
the roads ere taken over as a war meas
ure and could not now be held under gov
ernment control by resembling the Presi-
dental proclama ton, except on the theory
that war conditions required it, Since
this government is to all intents and pnr-
poses at peace with the world. there is no
such war necessity, they hold. TO justify
the President in resembling his proclama-
ton. and declare that only Congressional
action GO Id continue the period Of gov
ernment control.
Plumb Plan Men Active.
In spite OF the belief that the roads
would be returned on March l. the efforts
to have the government retain control OF
The roads by advocates of the Plumb plan
and organized labor generally are unre-
hitting. Thousands of letters and petit
tlons are pouring into the White House
and on Congress urging this, while all
equally vigorous propaganda Is being
waged against II.
Today the conferrees heard representa-
tivea of the Farmers National Council,
which assumed 10 speak for the Farmers
Nom Partisan League, of tho Northwest.
together with radical farmer elements and
ialor representatives from various states,
urging continuation of government con-
troll. 1t was frankly stated by these rep
resentatives that any member of Congress
voting to return the roads to private own
ership would receive the unqualified oppo-
sition OF these elements at the polls. Op-
posed TO them Is an organization OF about
three million farmers who are on record
against government control. They repre-
sent the more conservative and by far the
larger element of the farmers of the coun-
try.
The opposition OF the railroad labor
groups to return of the roads TO private
ownership Is based on the fear that. with
private control, a readjustment of living
costs and other wage scales might result
r a reduction OF wages or AT least in a
static condition at the present scale They
ore confident that no administration polti-
caly would dare oppose demands for in
creased wages nor countenance their re-
duction.
Government operation OF the roads up
to the present time has resulted in an
increase of wages OF a billion dollars
Walter ID. Hines, Director General of
Railroads and other authorities hold that
any Increase i'm transportation charges is
increased five times by the time the
object transported reaches the consumer
which alone means an increase of 5000
CONTINUED on PnGe Five. Col. Tbreeo