The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-02-21
R. R. COST IS
GIVEN HOUSE
BY REP. ESCH
1886, 100000 Paid Out by
Uncle Sam on War Opera
ton, Asserts Bills Propon-
ent-Debate Begins.
100. MEMBERS PRESENT
(B- Associated Press)


WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.-Railroad
administration estimates place the
net cost of the government of the
federal control of the railroads at
36.000,00O, Chairman Esch of the in
terstate committee told the house to-
day, in opening debate on the confer
ence report on the compromise rail-
road bill
This s636.00O,000 will have to be
charged off as a war loss" he said.
One may say it was expensive but
II was worth the price. Without the
railroads, transportation would have
tailed to supply our troops overseas.
Total appropriations of approx
mately SlS00,000,O00. including those
already made, were the "experience
OF federal CONTROL" Mr.. Esch said, but
ne added that these amounts approx
mately $1.900,000, 900, including those
ments" in the form of improvements
made for the roads, and for which
they ultimately will pay
House is No Mans Land
Less than 100 members were in the
house when it met for the final fight
on the compromise bill In the gal
leries were many labor agents and
others. While the compromise bill
was being read, members began gath
er1ng on the floor and roll call show
ed 221 present
The compromise bill, Representative
Esch asserted, was the original house
Dill except "one proposition" by
winch a rate basis is fixed with earn
lngs in excess of 6 percent on railroad
valuation, being divided between the
arnlng carrier and the government
Tor the latter to use for weak roads.
Mr.. Esch denied that the govern
| ment under the compromise bill guar
anteed return of 5h per cent on
railroad investment. He explained
that the guarantee was on actual
| value
Must Be Efficient, Assertion.
1T is up to the railroads to earn
by efficiency" he said.
The government is losing nothing"
/ ne said. Commerce is stimulated
| This plan is the most practical So
luton for most difficult problem"
Referring to the labor provision, Mr..
/ Esch declared that the measure con
tained nothing about compulsory
putting into effect of decisions"of the
labor boards, but that "it relies on pub
lie opinion, which is greater than any
legislative decree. Anti-strike legis-
lation, he said, was attemptaed in the
original bill, but similar laws in for
| eign countries had been failures as
far as preventing strikes.
All railway labor, Mr.. Ehch con-
| tinued, is not opposed to the bill.
The method provided for settling dis
putes, he asserted, is lust and fair"
and the more it is studied, the moro
| supporters it wins.
Return Order Final.
| President Wilson's order, directing
the return of the roads to their owners
March l, lis a completed act" which
is not revokable," Mr. Esch declared.
Without this bill then, he conclud-
ed, there will be no legislation to
enable the roads to live"
| To assure disposition of the hill to-
day, the house met an hour earlier
than customary. Five hours having
been allotted to debate, and with a
series of roll calls in sight. the pos
siblity of an early decision was
| blocked.
Democrats Against II.
In addition to majority Of the
Democratic members lined uD ae"i~et
the bill, largely because of the finan-
! cial provisions, there were members
on both sides ready to attack the bill
because of the objections of organized
labor. Several members were desir-
Gus of sending the bill back to con-
ference under instruction to eliminate
Objectionable provisions. but the par
iiamentary situation was to be a de-
Gliding factor in the opposition's line
up.
Supporters of the bill were confid-
ent of its approval by substantial
majority, but its opponents were will
ling only to concede a clase vote.
The discussion promised to grow
acrimonious in view of recent charges
made in debate that highly paid lob
bies representing both investors and
railroad employees had been active
here for months attempting to in
fiuence the legislation
The old question of government
ownership also was expected to pro-
woke clashes, as organized labor has
been accused of fighting the return
cf the roads which the bill will con-
troll. in order to force the government
to keep them permanently.
Ill. E,J.1o, Q1 Yoo~.