The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-09-02
BONUS Bill.
HUNG UP IN
THE SENATE
Propos-
ed Make It Worse
Than It Was and
Increases Danger Of
Veto

! Washington. August 30-Af:er
rejecting all amendments to the adr
Fministration coal distribution bill,
the house ran into an unexpected
storm of talk late today and was
forced to quit until tomorrow with
out reaching a vote.
Every change proposed was eth
er thrown out on a point of order
Or decisively defeated. At the end
OF the all day<wrangle, Chairman
! Winslow. OF the interstate COM
merce committee who was in
charge of The measure. predicted
il would go through as framed. :
As the house worked on the
measure which its supporters
claimed was all the legislation
needed TO meet the emergency
caused by the coal and rail strikes.
word reached leaders that at
tempts to settle the anthracite tie
up might succeed, and that the
senate was ready TO take up house;
coal bills as soon as it was
through with the bonus. -
President Harding's original suS-
ges;ion for creation of a buying
and selling coal agency was put
before the house by Representa-
tive Anderson republican, Of
Minnesota with a provision indi-
rectly authorizing seizure Of mines
If found necessary in connection
with agency activities. but il went
out on point OF order.
; Advised that an amendment au-
tnorizing the president to take
over railroads and mines, in the
event of grim necessity" would
go out in the same swift fashion,
members favoring such legislation
announced that nothing was to be
gained by courting certain rejec-
ton
With little ceremony, the house
voted down an amendment dele
eating the distribution powers to
the interstate commerce commits
sion in place Of a federal fuel dis
tributor. and a moment later re-
iected an amendment fixing the
distributors salary at $500.
Representative Fairchild (Re-
ipublicano of New York found; few
supporting his proposal that coal
distributed should be sold at "a
reasonable price to the ultimate
consumer An unsuccessful at
tempt was made by Representative
benson Republican, OF Illinois
to strike out what some members
characterized as the heart Of the
bill. this being the provision that
the fuel distributor, in trying to
meet the emergency. should pre-
went extortion in prices charged
for coal and other fuel"
An amendment by Representa-
tive Boies (Repubhcna) OF Iowa
which have ordered so per cent.
reduction in the freight rate on
coal to begin within ten days. was
thrown out even before its reading
had been completed.
The principal attack on the bill
today was by Representative Ray
burn of Texas. Democratic mem
Der of the committee which framed
it. while Representative Barkley
Democrat) of Kentucky and Rep
resentative Graham (Repuhlican)
OF Illinois. also members OF the
committee, supported the measure.
Mr.. Rayburn insisted that it would
have the effect of curtaihng pro-
duction while Mr.. Barkley and Mr..
Graham declared grave emer-
gency existed and that congress
ought to meet it without thought of
partisanship.
Closing the debate, Chairman
Winslow Informed the house that
in the presence of his committee
he had talked over the telephone
this morning with the president
and that the president was heartily
in favor Of the bill. believing it
would enable the government to
handle the most flagrant cases
through IT'S operation.