The Washington herald., 1920-02-21
EXPECT BITTER
GsFIGHT ON RAIL
!. BILL In HOUSE
Republican Leaders Admit
Margin Of Control Is Too
-. ~, Close for Comfort"
: II GALLUP REPORT TO-DAY
gsIS
Farmers Council Holds
Return Will Cause In
= crease in Rates.
5CALLUP REPORT TODAY

crease In Rates.
= One Of the hardest fights in re-
cent years is expected to develop in
the House today. when the confer
enee report on the railroad bill is
s-called ur for adoption.
Leaders of the opposing factions
. have completed their task Of lining
up their forces and expressions Of
-confdence came from both camps
: last night.
A surprising feature Of the situa-
tion. however. was the admission Of
the Republican leaders that the
margin by which they exeptc to
put through the measure Is too
close for comfort" One forecast
based on a reported check of mem
. bers on both sides was that the
: majority for the legislation would
not be far In excess of IL. Other
more optimistic Republicans assert
ed that there will be 25 to SO votes
to spare Thirty Democrats will
vote for the bill. they said, while
only is Republicans will vote
against it.
y The opposition leaders included
= no estimates in their claims, but
professed confidence that the con-
ference report viii be recommitted
with instructions to strike out the
5h Per cent guarantee and modify
the labor section
Expected to Pass.
positive forecast of the result,
: therefore, is obviously impossible.
The Indications seem to be, however,
that the measure Will go through by
"a small majority.
= The difaculty the Republican lead
Sers are having in keeping their
forces in line is attributed to the
: determined fight being waged
: against the bill by organized Ia
Dor. Labor's announced plan to fol-
low the campaign tactics of the
Anti-Saloon League and the reluc-
tant fear Of being placed on the
; labor blacklist" are said to be CIV
ing a great many Of the Representa-
: tiyes serious concern
The most encouraging develop
ment yesterday for the Republican
advocates of the bill was the de-
cision of half q dozen members on
that side, who had been inclined to
. oppose the 5h per cent guarantee
to support the conference report.
This decision was reached at a con-
. ference, at which the guarantee pro-
Af
: carefully and the, argument of the
: leaders that 1t did not amount to a
guarantee accepted.
on the other side, George p.
Hampton, managing director of the
:. Farmers National Council. sent an
open letter to all members of Con-
gress opposing the bill and urging
of government operation
of the roads for two years.
Called Serious Blow.
Nearly every national farm or
Eganization of any size. regardless
of its position on the return of the
roads. Mr.. Hampton's letter de-
clares, has opposed government
guaranteed dividends and a gov
ernment subsidy which is specifi-
cally provided in this railroad bill"
The letter continues: The re-
turn of the roads under the pend
ing bill would be a most serious
blow to our basic industry-agri-
culture-because it involves an in
crease in freight rates of IS to 40
per cent. which would compel farm
ers to pay the railroads at least
S200.000,0O0 a year more, merely
for carrying farm products, than If
the roads remain under govern
ment operation"
The conference report was at
tackled and defended in three
speeches on the floor of the House
yesterday. during general debate on
the legislative. executive and judi
cfal appropriation bill. Representative
Huddleston. Democrat, of Alabama,
opposed it, while Representatives
Rayburn and Blanton, Democrats, OF
Texas. favored it.
The bill was written by Wall Street.
Mr.. Huddleston declared, and in 1t
capital gets everything and labor
nothins.
Blanton Denounees Conference.
All labor asks for, Mr.. Huddleston
said, is that Government operation be
extended for two years in order that
this policy may be given a fair test.
Representative Blanton denounced
the conference of a number of mem
bers of the House with representa-
tives Of organized labor last night
He wanted to know IF we are going
to continue taking orders from
Gompers."
Financial chaos is certain unless
the railroad legislation is enacted by
March /. the date on which Presi-
dent Wilson plans 70 return the roads,
Representative Rayburn contended.