The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-01-15
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
President ProciaimS Return OF
the Railroads to Their Own
ers on March /.
GOOD PROSPECTS FOR BILL
First ShipIoad of Deported Reds on
Its Way to Russia-AdmiraI Sims
Refuses Medal and Accuses Sec
rotary Daniels of Injustice.
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD.

President Wilson, having been con-
WINGED of the dangers that would be
incurred if he carried out his an
nounced intention to return the rail-
roads to their owners on January /,
since congress could not or would not
pass the necessary legislation by that
time, yielded to the situation and on
Wednesday issued proclamation set
ting the date for the return as March
l. In the intervening two months,
he believes, the railroads and express
. companies should be able to prepare
adequately for the resumption of their
business under their ownership
and control. This action pleased such
congressman and railway officials as
We're interviewed, and the latter ex-
pressed the belief that the roads
would be ready by March /, to carry on,
OF course they expect congress to en-
act suitable legislation and the inter-
state commerce bill to permit such
rate increases as will make it pos
sible for them to borrow the money
for needed equipment, extensions and
Improvements.
Immediately after the issuance of
the presidents proclamation Direc-
tor General Hines made an appeal to
all officers and employees of railroads
to redouble their efforts to produce
the best and most economical railroad
service possible during the remaining
period of federal control This really
was directed especially TO the railway
brotherhoods, which have been hold
ing in allegiance their demands for
wage increases amounting to nearly
a billion a year to see whether the
governments efforts to bring down
the cost of living would have any
marked effect. They do not seem i'm
pressed by the present success of
those efforts and are growing restless.
It remains to be seen whether they
will now wait much longer for the
decrease in prices which the attorney
general has said are likely to begin
to appear next month.
The prospects for early legislation
for the return of the railroads to their
owners have frightened very consid-
erably. The senate having passed the
Cummins bill, conferences began to
adjust the differences between that
and the Esch bill passed by the house.
The clauses concerning wage adjust
ment, the forbidding of strikes and
voluntary or compulsory arbitration
presented the greatest difficulties. The
conferees said they hoped to make
considerable progress before congress
reconvenes on January 5.
Loud cheers, metaphorically speak
ing, sped on its way the departing
transport Buford when at the begin
ming of the week it started for Eu-
rope. No one wanted ever to see any
part of the cargo come back, for that
cargo consisted of 249 rabid and dam
gerous "reds'' who were being deport-
ed by Uncle Sam for his own sake
True to type, the radicals cursed the
United States venomously as they
were herded onto the vessel, and
threatened awful deeds when they re-
turn. They were headed by Emma
Goldman and Alexander Berkman,
who for many years have preached
their poisonous doctrine in America
almost Inhindered. The delectabie
Emma shouted, as she passed up
the gangplank: "This is the begin
ming of the end of the United States"
Just where the unsayory gang is to
be landed was unknown even to the
captain of the transport until he
opened his orders at sea. 1t was pre-
sumed, however, that they would be
put ashore at a. Finnish port and sent
thence by rail to Russia.