The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-08
ROADS
 S7RANGL|NG [ COMPETITION
Underwood Urges Congress to Stop Unfair Methods Used by Carriers in Prevent ing Successful Use of
 Nations Rivers
WASHINGTON BUREAU
 THE AGE-HERAID ! Washington. ID. C., Feb. ]

Senator Oscar w. Underwood of Alabama, on the floor of the Sen- ate this afternoon, declared it im- perative that Congress amend exist ing laws so that railroads could not lower rates for the specific purpose of strangling river competition.
 At the present time the interstate commerce commission, the senator declared, may permit railroads to lower rates to beat down eompeti- ton. He advocated an amendment which would eliminate the oppor- tunity of the commission to exer- else discretion.
 Senator Underwood referred to the fact that some years ago the railroads succeeded in putting river competition out of business, and de- clared that in the present it was no secret that railroads are doing all within their power to handicap the government experiments on the Mississippi and Warrior rivers.
 Bornh Takes Issue
 An interesting colioquy followed the insistence of Senator Borah of Idaho that Senator Underwood was wrong in his contention that rail- roads had destroyed river transporta- | 1Hr tor q Caraway of Arkansas and Mcclellan of Tennessee, interpolated state ments supporting Senator Under wood, and gave instances of such practices which had come under their observation. Senator Underwood finally declared that Senator Borah was simply ignorant of the facts and cited him to the hearing before the interstate commerce committee, when railroad magnates discussing the pending Esch -Cummins railroad act, adpitted that they had reduced rates for the destruction of river transportation and promised never again to offend.
 Senator Borah then declared that the interstate commerce commissio on was evidently to blame. "I do not entirely acquit the commission" said Senator Underwood, but some of the blame is properly imposed on Congress. Under the law. the com mission is given discretion in grant ing railroads rights to lower rates to meet river competition. The com- mission has exercised that discretion for so long that it has become a precedent which it cannot overcome. We must deprive the commission of its discretion, and by law forbid rail- roads to wage a rate war against river transportation"
 Takes West to Task
 Senator Underwood vigorously took senators from the west to task for their opposition to appropriations for rivers and harbors. "The south is anxious to secure cheap transporta- tion so that it can get it's products to sea" he said. southern members of Congress have always supported the west in it's efforts to make itself prosperous. We made possible the irrigation of the west And yet when the south asks for q pittance for it's rivers and harbors. western senators are the first to nterpose objection.
 Tt is not in any respect fair. feel that we are entitled to appro- priations for projects which the engi- neers have investigated and ap- proved. The only big appropriation that the south gets from Congress is for it's rivers and harbors. It is un- seemly from my viewpoint for the west to fight the effort of the south to develop itself"
 The speech of Senator Underwood will prepare the Senate, it is indi- cated. to receive the Warrior appro- priation in a deficiency bill soon to be sent to Congress by the adminis- tration.