Evening star., 1922-11-19
RAILROADS TO RECEIVE
T. ATTENTION OF CONGRESS
Pressure From Different Directions
Brought to Bear for Amendment
of Transportation Act.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

ME railroads, subject Of many
hard-fought legislative bat
ties In the past history Of
Congress. are to be In the
limelight again during the present
Congress. which meets in special
session tomorrow and In regular ses-
sion the first Monday in December.
High tariffs. which the farmers and
other shippers claim are running
them and business; the strike of the
shopmen, which inconvenienced the
public generally. and the wage de-
mands of labor all will force the
railroad question to the front.
But the demands for amendments
to the Cummins-Esch transportation
act, under which the railroads were
returned to their owners after the
period of government operation dur
ing the war, will be advanced by at
least two separate groups. with sepa-
rate and distinct objects in view.
Pressure From Two Points.
On the one hand will be the farm
bloc and the labor bloc in Congress.
seeking the repeal of those sections
of the transportation act which they
believe are responsible for nfgn
freight rates and for reduction IN
the wages of employees.
On the other hand will be those
representatives and senator's who be-
lieye in strengthening the hands OF
the Railroad Labor Board as
means of preventing nationwide
strikes. such as the shopmen's STRIKE
with all the hardship and lncon-
venience which transportation strikes
entail upon the public generally.
The farm bloc already has a pro-
gram of railroad legislation. ana
Senator Capper of Kansas. head OF
the bloc in the Senate. has bills De-
fore the Senate interstate commerce
committee embodying this program.
Ono of the aims of the bloc Is to re-
neal section 15a Of the transportation
act. the section which provides the
plan of ratemaking, under which the
railroads have their rates fixed by
the Interstate Commerce Commission
SO as to give them reasonable re-
turn on their investment. The bloc
also Is desirous of having repealed
the section of the act which gives
the Interstate Commerce Commission
the right to review decisions OF state
railroad commissions In regard to
intrastate rates. The bloc believes
that such provisions are working to
the disadvantage Of shippers and to
the advantage Of the railroads.
After Scalp Of Board.
The labor bloc-which exists in and
out of Congress-though not so we'll
advertised in Congress itself as the
farm bloc-is after the scalp OF the
Railroad Labor Board. 1t may be
said In this connection, too. that there
are railroad executives who would
be glad to see the Labor Board go.
The administration is expected to
prepare and put forward a program
of railroad legislation Of its own.
The President is in consultation fire.
ouently with Senator Cummins of
Iowa, author of the transportation
act and chairman Of the Senate inter-
state commerce committee, which han
dies all railroad bills, on the subject
This program, it is believed, will be
drafted largely to meet the demands
oFaths general public that something
bardohe to prevent disastrous railroad
strikes in this country: For months
last summer the railroads-mosr of
,thsm-were hampered by the shop
mems strike. Tho roads beat the
strike. it is true, but the railroad
strike had its effect upon the people.
It made it difficult to ship coal to
Industries that required it; it made it
impossible for thousands of the farm
ers to ship their produce when the
crops were harvested; it aided In
causing the discomfort in the country
which was reflected in the recent
elections with the defeat of many re-
publicans. It is to be expected that
the republican leaders. who must go
Is the country again two years hence
and seek to be returned to power,
Will bear this in mind.
Would Strengthen Board.
Senator Cummins has been frankly
In favor Of Strengthening the hands
Of the Railroad Labor Board. Many
others believe. too. that If there is to
1,e peace the decisions Of the board
must be upheld: that the roads must
he made to accede to the decisions Of