The New York herald., 1921-02-08
ROADS RELIEF HELD
UPBY PART OF VOTE
Measure to Turn Over $780,.
100000 Guaranty Goes Over
by Small Margin.
MAY GO THROUGH TO-DAY
Livestock Interests in West
Protest Against Rates as
Unreasonable.
Special Despatch 10 THE NEW York ItExsrD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington ID. G., Feb. !.

Special Despatch 10 THE NEW York ItExsLp.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington ID. c.. Feb. I.
Legislation which wonld have relieved
the financial probSems of the railroads
through payment OF xSf0o00.000 due
from the United states Treasury under
the guaranty section OF the Esch- Cum
Minis law was blocked temporarily In the
House to-day by the'narrow margin OF
two-thrds of a vote.
AT the sain. time the Interstate Com
,nerce Commission made public a COM
plairit and petition filed by Western live
stock interests making sweeping at
tack on the rate making provisions OF
the law and asking specifically for lower
railroad rates on livestock The cattle
men and other interests represented in
six big associations declared the rate
provisions unconstitutionaL unjust, un-
reasonable and discriminatory.
The petition set forth that present
transportation ondHions in the\> West
are leading to bankruptcy and ruin be-
cause it is impossible TO market grahes
and live stock at present rates.
Section 6 of the law Is particularly
attacked, as is the action of the
Interstate Commerce Commission in
making discretional allowance o.
one-half of one per cent. for equip
mcnt and facilities in fixing a rate
return for the railroads designed to ap-
proximate per cent. on the property
investment of the curriers'. This half
per cent, il was declared, cost the live
stock shippers $40. 100000 last year,
which was not rate for service but u
tax for the benefit of the railroads and
for which there was no warrant In the
II oh
railroads were not being operated
economically or efficiently and that
many charges were made against
operating revenues that should have
gone to capital account.
Efforts TO Jam through the Winslow
bill providing for immediate payment
to the carriers OF sums due from the
Government were made on orders Of the
Republican steering committee.
The legislation was an amendment TO
the Esch-Cumnlins law. the Secretary
of the Treasury and the District of Co
lumbia Supreme Court having held that
none OF the guaranty money could be
paid to the roads until final settlement
was agreed on. The guaranty applied
for the first six months after the rail-
roads were returned to private owner
ship last March. the Government guar
anteeing TO the roads a return OF per
cent during that period. The loss to
the Government viii amount TO
s63l. .o0c.00
The fight on the bill to-day was
caused almost entirely BY the steering
committees attempt to force 1t through
under suspension OF rules. This re-
quired two-thirds majority. The vote
was 220 for the BILL to Ill against. or
two-thirds Of vote less than two
thirds vote. A recapltulation failed to
change the result. Proponents of the
bill first had their fight won, but lost
when Representative Carraway tArk.l
changed his vote.
AS a. result of to-day's action the bill
probably viii be called up tomorrow
under a rule. In order TO give IL priv
ileged status. Such rule was reported
late to-day by the Rules Committee Lit
tie doubt exists that the bill can be
passed then. the vote revealing large
majority on straight vote