New-York tribune., 1921-08-13
Clash i'm Senate
Rail Hearing ON
Call to McAdoo
Session of Committee Is
Halted When La Toilette
and Democrats Insist He
Be Summoned as Witness
Townsend Sees Harding
President Told 1T Is Doubt
full Whether Measure Can
Be Passed Before Recess

FROM 1he 1r16une'S ~ dShtrGtOT bureau
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12.-The Sen
ate Interstate Commerce Committee 5
hearing on the Administration bill to
aid railroad credit broke up to-day in
a controversy over whether to call
former Secretary Of the Treasury
William G. McAdoo to give his views
Senator La Toilette and the Demo
cratic members of the committee want
Mr., .McAdoo called. The Republican
members of the committee, with the cx-
ception of Senator La Toilette, a-e
opposed to this.
Senator La Toilette urged that not
only Mr. AcAdoo, as former Director
General and Secretary of the Treasury
be called. but also former Director
General Walker D. Hines To this
Senators Townsend. Kellogg, Watson.
of Indiana, and Mclean objected. Sen
ator Kellogg insisted all the facts with
regard to the condition of the roads
were in the hands of the Interstate
Commerce Commission and the rail
road administration.
Senator La Toilette charged that the
railroads had "sqandered their re-
sources instead of conserving them !,
and had not operated their properties
public favor. He cited the case of the
New York Central and said it could be
shown by record evidence that after if
had put up the claim it was not get
ting enough revenue, President Smith
had been given an advance in salary
OF $4,000 year and other salaries
had been increased from $4,000 to
s2t, 900 a year.
Says McAdoo Is Willing
Senator La Toilette went on to saw
he had communicated with Mr. McAdoo
both through Senator Glass and di-
rectly, and that Mr.. McAdoo is will
ing to appear, glad to appear, and has
opinions he will be clad to express. u
He thought if the opinion Of Mr.
Meyer was taken, that of Mr. McAdoo
would be very valuable"
81 request the committee" Senator
La Toilette proceeded, "to take test-
mony as to the financial condition o1
these roads and as to the squander-
ing of their resources since they went
out of the government possession to
show that they arc not in condition
of necessity to have government credit
and have no equitable right to ask the
assistance of the government"
Senator La Toilette served notice on
the committee that if the testimony
he wanted was not sought by the com
mittee he would see to it the whole
subject of condition and methods oil
the roads was explored on the floor
of the Senate itself.
Senator kellogg said the committee
had already spent two months going
into the whole railroad situation. Tc
this Senator La Toilette retorted that
the committee had heard the roads
alone and given them a chance tc
present their case and exploit it tc
the public with an organized pub
licity bureau back of it," but when il
came to hearing the opposition or de
tense the committee recessed and tool
no testimony.
Senator Watson insisted that to gt
on with the hearings was "an absolute
waste Of time" He held promp
action for relief of the roads wa:
necessary.
Senator Pittman then offered hi.
motion that Mr.. McAdco be requested
to appear Monday morning. Senator
La Toilette objected to considering i
without a quorum present, and after
wrangle adjournment was taken unit
Tuesday, leaving the proposition OF
whether there will be further hearing.
in the air.