New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-09-08

Vote ON Cummil1s Act Is
40 to Z, Its Opponents
Being Chiefly From the
Coal Producing States
Borah Plan of VI. S.
Inquiry Taken Up
Report To BE Submitted
Not Later Than July 4
and to Include Wages

FROM The Tribume's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Sept. speeding
up consideration of the coal problem,
the Senate to-day passed the Cum
r,ins bill to prevent profteering in
coal and took up the Borah bill for
an investigation and report on the coal
industry with view to permanent
legislation.
The Cumnins bill, which is the Ad-
ministration measure and is similar
to the Winslow bill already passed by
the House, would empower the Inter
state Commerce Commission to shut
out of interstate commerce persons or
corporations that profiteer In coal. The
essential difference between the Cum
MINIS bill and the Winslow bill, is that
the Cummins measure Is confined
strictly to interstate commerce in coal,
while the Winslow bill is not.
Both bills declare national emerg-
ency exists and both provide for a
Federal fuel distributor who will make
recommendations to the Interstate
Commerce Commission. The commits
sion is given full authority under the
bill to establish priorities and embar-
goes in the transportation of coal, as
well as other fuel, in interstate COM
merce, in order to prevent the exac-
ton OF unreasonably high prices.
Only Seven Negative Votes
Passage of the Cummins bill was By
vote of 40 to T, with a,number OF
Senator'S paired. Senator's Sutherland
ST West Virginia, Ernst Of Kentuaby,
and Reed of Pennsylvania, Republi.
cans, voted against it and also Sena-
tors Dial, Robinson, Stanley and
Shields, Democrats.
The Borah bill was taken up inn
mediately. At the request of Senator
lborah, and at the instance also Of
Senators Reed and Pepper OF Penn
sylvania, who were Instrumental in the
settlement of the anthracite coal
strike, 1t was amended 70 as to re-
quire the. investigating commission to
make distinct invasfigatissn and ra-
port of the anthracite 9oai industry.
Including the question of wages, This
report rs to be made on Or before
July /, 1923, and the conditions with
respect 60 wages up to the time of the
report are TO be taken into account.
AS amended, the commission will be
required to go into not only wages.
but every other phase of the Industry,
including productions, distribution and
transportation, and the relationships of
the operators and miners.
Anthracite Situation Included
The amendments required to meet
the terms Of the settlement of the hard
coal strike were read by Senator Borah
and advocated by him. He said they
were rendered '.as a result of the set
tlement of the anthracite controversy, y
They were adopted without opposition.
In the original form in which the bill
was offered nothing was said about a
distinct report on the anthracite in
dustry.
Senator Dial of South Carolina, pro-
posed various amendments to the Borah
Dill. He wanted the Federal Trade
Commission to make the investigation.
but this was voted down.
Another proposal by him was to have
the commission selected geographic
cally, with not more than three from
the same political party This also
was defeated. Senator Reed, of Penn
sylvania, said the President should be
free to select "disinterested expert
commissioners"
The whole question of peace in the
anthracite region in 1923 will Depend"
he said, ION the fairness and conpre-
lensiveness of this report"
He opposed the Dial amendment.
Naturalization Issue Raised
Senator Dial proposed to strike out
OF the bill reference to investigation
of the nationalizing of the coal in
dpstry and government regulation. This
stirred a. sharp debate. Senator'S Ster-
ling; Stanley and Myers advocated it..
Senators Borah and Walsh Of Massa-
chusetts vigorously opposed it. 1t was
still pending when the Senate ad-
journed.
Senator Walsh, of Massachusetts, in
the debate, after telling Of the desper-
ate coal conditions in New England, de-
ctared conservative business men were
demanding that drastic action be taken
regarding the coal industry and ridi-
culed the idea that the investigation
should not go in into ali phases of the
subject.
Much of the debate on the Cummins
bill centered about an amendment by
Senator Dial, which says .that nothing
herein shall be construed as changing
or amending the present law as to as
signing cars for handling or transports
Ing coal on contracts entered into prior
|so July 20, 1922, at not more than So
n ton + 9. b. cars at the mines"