The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-09-01
COAL LEGISLATION IS
PASSED BY HOUSE

Washington, Aug. 31.-The admin
istration bill for control and distri-
button of coal during the mining and
transportation emergency was passed
today by the house, 214 to 81, and
sent to the senate with assurances of
early consideration. Only one change
was made in the measure as original
ly framed, an amendment by Repre-
sentative Sanders (Republican) Of In
diana, providing that the life Of the
law should end January 1, 1924, or q
few weeks after the first regular ses-
sion of the next congress, being pass
ed 122 to n.
In the senate, as soon as the SOL
diers' bonus bill had been disposed of,
attention was turned to coal legisla-
tion, the Borah substitute for the
house bill passed last week creating
a fact finding commission being taken
up. Two hours of debate, however,
showed the impossibility of action on
the measure today and it went over
for further consideration tomorrow.
The big fight of the day in the
| house was in the section of the con-
troll and distribution measure which
gave the president the right after
presidential proclamation declaring
the present emergency no longer in
existence, to proclaim the existence of
another such emergency, without ask
ing leave of congress. The section
was voted out in committee Of the
whole, 85 to 65, but when the bill, as
finally completed, was put before the
house proper, Chairman Winslow of
the interstate commerce committee,
in charge of it, demanded and obtain
ed record vote, and the section was
retained, 148 to 1874.
Representative Rayburn Of Texas.
Democratic member of the interstate
commerce committee, offered the mo-
ton to strike 1T out, and he was sup
ported by Chairman Madden of the
appropriations committee, Represen-
tatiwe Graham Republican of Penn
sylvania and some leaders of both
parties. Previously Mr.. Winslow had
sought to amend the provision so as
to give congress the right to say If
an emergency prevailed in the coal
mining and railroad world, but his
motion to this effect was defeated
through the yftt Of members who
were confident SHe ehesre section
would go out.
Mr.. Rayburn's motion to recommit
for the purpose of eliminating the
clause, "to prevent extortion in prices
charged for coal and other fuel and
promote the general welfare" was re-
jected without record vote.
Three Republicans from West Vir-
ginia, Goodykoontz, woodward and
Rosenbloom, opposed the bill. Mr..
Goodykoontz declared in the house
debate operators had been "casti
gated" while no strong voice was
lifted against profteering retailers.
Asserting that the measure would not
afford relief, he told the house the
people had asked for bread and con-
gress had given them a stone. Mr..
woodward characterized the legisla-
tion as socialistic and declared the
"same cure all legislation might be
demanded by those concerned with
other industries than coal.''
The senate discussion developed
. more into exchanges of opinions as
. to the causes and possible conse-
quences Of the present railroad and
, coal situation than of the Borah bill.
1t brought also from Senator Frey
linghuysen (Republican) of New Jer-
sey statement that had the senate
acted on bills which he introduced
J, two years ago and year ago, and
] which he claimed were assigned to
serve the same purpose as the present
proposal, the present emergency
e could have been averted.
e Senator Freylinghuysen said he be-
: lieved the Borah bill should pass be-
t similar to those now before the coun-
{ Try would have to be faced next
E spring. He argued, however, that the
1 fact finding commission should be
3 made a permanent government tri-
: bunal and not be limited to one inves-
8 tigation.
n The New Jersey senator declared
: that many large coal companies had
d been guilty of taking extortionate and
y outrageous profits and read a long
S list of dividends voted by several. The
r lists, he said, were public property
e and had been compiled and published
e by we'll known publishers.