The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-14
Decision Rendered By Supreme Court
 As to Railroads
RrAssncintnll Prnss

By Associated Press
 Washington, March 13.-RaiIroads within n state. engaged in interstate commerce, are not exclusively within the Jurisdiction of the federal gov ernment in the operation and aban- dOnment of their properties, the SUI preme court today decided.
 New York. March 13.-when the John Doe" inquiry into the affairs of the American Cotton Exchange was resumed today, Chief City Mag istrnte William McAdoO declared he did not intend "to make n sweeping investigation of cotton speculation. We are concerned only with the spc- cific matter under inquiry--whether state law has been broken by bucketing," he added.
 Nashville, March I3.-As result of only one member of the state public utilities commission being able to sit today on the application of the Cumberland Telephone and Tele- graph company for emergency rates in FennesSee. Commissioners II. A. Enioe and Harvey II. Hannah being i'll. it was finally decided to post pone further proceedings in the ease until next Monday.
 Washington. March 13.-The comp troiier of the currency today issued call for the condition of nll na- services affected, who really prepared and initiated most of the provisions in the bill as reported to the House and senate was primbarily guided, l fear, by too strong compelling desire to conserve the interest of those now in these services-and which. of neees- sity, has resulted in too little thought. care and consideration being given the pay of those who are to fill the vacancies in the commiss and en- listed personnel as they occur in these several services.
 Urge Liberal Provisions
 The talk over the table as to the bills provisions, with the officers. who, as heretofore stated. really prepared the bin. disclosed that they laid great stress on the necessity of liberal proVisos to protect the grade and approximate pay status of the present commission personnel. and although they frankly admitted that many rapid promotions to high grades, carrying large increase in pay were unjustified and alone re- suited from war conditions, vet not withstanding such an admission on their part. the bill as drafted pro poses no correction of present con ditions but seeks congressional favor on the promise and assurance that under the proposed bill unwarranted promotions attended with unusual increases m pay and allowance will not occur in future. e under war conditions A bill preSed by Rep resentatiNe McKenzIe of the joint committee and which was taken by the committee as q basis for discuss ing the provisions of d bill to be recommended to the House. contained provisions seeking to correct the present condition in the different services resulting from rapid promo lions and large increases in pay, and l the committee understood from the officers appointed to represent the different services that a permanent blll could be drafted along the lines of the Mckenzie bill. Notwithstand- 1 ing this assurance. when the final draft of the bill was submitted to the committee, To and behold, the pro- visions referred to in the Mckenzie blIl had been entirely eliminated Omits Detailed Discussion AA'Nt Bhi Bpetig omitted a 0G- ] tailed discussion of the provisions of the bill because this can only he done intelligently and helpfully when predicated on printed hearings, avail able for study by the membership of the House.
 It has been suggested that the speaker, who is now authorized under a resolution recently adopted by the House to appoint special commit tee 10 whom will be referred the pending bill with authority to hold hearings and report the same, may | name, as members of such special committee the same members of the House who served on the joint Senate and House committees. and in this event, if hearings are had on the bill the former members of the specfal joint committee, who dissent from the bill as reported and recommended Tor passage, can and will set forth specific grounds of objection to the bill, and thus enable members of the House to consider such objections in the light of facts disclosed in the printed hearings to be hereafter had on the bill. l feel that only in this way can an intelligent conclusion be reached by the House as to the merits or demerits of the proposed
 
 Permanent Pay Bill
 In conclusion, fl may not be out Of place to suggest that since Cen eral Pershing is reported to have recommended a very large reduction in the commissioned personnel of the army it would seem unwfse for the House to enact a permanent pay bill for the army and other allied ser vices until the House has first fixed the strength of the commissioned and enlisted personnel of these services for the future.
 If the bill as recommended should be adopted prior to July l, 1922, and large part of the commissioned personnel, pursuant to General Per shins's reported recommendations are retired after July l next, and during the fiscal year 1923. there would be thus provided a permanent base pay for this large number so retired at a much higher rate than now authorized under existing law. This fact would alone suggest, 1 sub init. the importance of at least de- laying the enactment of a permanent pay bill until Congress first de- termines a policy fixing the future