The Washington herald., 1922-01-28

----------------- uve OHe.
TING guarantee clause of the Cum
mins-Esci law: improvement Of
iarm-to-hihrket' roads and the de-.
'eIopmen' Of inland waterways.
THIS Wis considered a great
victory 10: Mr.. Gompers until 1t
was learned that many of, the
same matters would be covered in
the report OF the TRANSPORTATION
committee. The report was sent
oaek To the committee with in
s,ructlons that all matters obtec-
mated De
IL all was undonc. however. when
tne conference took UP the subject
OF ran rates and called upon the
authorities to bring down freight
costs by causing both capital and
ispor TO share in the reduction so
that the farner far-remoyed from
market might share In the gen.
eral benefits.
mr.. Gompers had been driving
nome throughout the session the
tnousht that the wages of the farm
Iaoorer should be Increased 10 a
point nearer level with the in
austrIal laborer, rather than the
WAGES OF the latter be brought
ooNn; Farm delegates took the
position that the whole scheme
OF things is out OF joint" and that
readjustment would be impos-
side as long as union men received
Ior one short days work as much
as Farmer for several days work
nu as long as high freight rates,
ouiis largely on high wages to
'rainmen remained effective.
BeEin to Air Woes.
A farmer delegate explained that
ne learned from the Railway Labor
board that salaries last year for
the ran worker averaged $3.50, as
compared with $500 and $500 for
inc farmer. He pointed out that
each had to buy the same food,
wear the same clothes and other
necessities. He said that prosperity
on the. farm would be one of the
largest contributing factors in re-
moving unemployment. Other dele
gates pointed out that the freight
on carload of hay TO Iowa is 1--WE
times the cost of the hay. and
stated that an engineer on a rail-
way Is paid more than a man who
| tills forty acres of land.
Then one by one the farm dele
gates began to air their woes, and
each took a fling at the discrepancy
in return for farm and union labor,
literally overwhelming Mr.. Gompers
and reversing his earlier victory
II was at this time that the report
of the transportation Commute.
was brought in.
The report calls for a material
reduction in freight rates, the re-
peal of the guaranty section Of the
| Cummins- Esch law. the restoration
| of full powers to State railroad
| commissions tothx intrastate rail
rates. elimination Of inequalities
under the long northumberland
clause, and more adequate refriger-
alton equipment on the railroads
Ford Project Approved.
| After the reading of the water.
way report, Herbert Myrick. OF
| Springfield. Mass. editor of the
Farm and Home, introduced the
amendment to the report which
brought Endorsement TO the Henry
| Ford project. His amendment was
| Overwhelmingly adopted. II read:
TO accomplish results without
! any further delay whatsoever
we urge the Secretary of War to
recommend that the Congress ac-
/ cept the Henry Ford proposal TO
take over the hydro-electric power
and air nitrate plant at Muscle
| Shoals under the guarantee to pro-
! duce approximately the present
maximum capacity of the plant, be-
ing 100000 tons OF ammonium nj
trate annually for one hundred
years, thus opening the Tennessee
river to navigation, insuring the
cheap production of fertilizer.
metals and commodities, and in
surfing the United States nitrogen
independence in time of peace or
war"
Mr.. Myrick stated that he had
telegram from Mr.. Ford stating
that he was ready TO. proceed with
his proposal If accepted.
Representative Ten Eyck. OF New
York. led the opposition to the
adoption of resolution favorable to
the St Lawrence waterway pro-
ject, but he was unable TO muster
sufficient strength to make head
way against the delegates from
other sections OF the country.
The highway policy of the Fed
eral government as means OF
making the farmer less dependent
on rail- lines was highly approved
and a resolution urging the govern
ment to continue its work in this