Evening star., 1924-04-24
RAIL men BACKBONE
OF Sd PARTY MOVE
Fate of HoweD-Barkley Bill in
Congress May Decide Action
of Labor Group.
LA TOILETTE VERY POPULAR
Defeat of McAdoo Likely to Swing
100000 Votes.
LA TOILETTE VERY POPULAR
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

With the growing improbability of
Mr.. McAdoo's nomination as the Dem
ocratic candidate for the presidency,
the railroad men of the country have
become the primary factor in the
Third Party situation. If Senator
La Toilette determines to become its
nominee his most enthusiastic and
most cohesive supporters will be the
men and women belonging to or
identified with the great transporta-
tions. These are estimated to number
Il voting strength of at least 100000
They embrace the full membership of
the Big Four" railway brotherhoods
the conductors, trainmep, engineers
and firemen-and the sixteen or sew
enteen other unions comprised within
the transporta tion industry, including
marine workers.
The railroad men an dtheir sympa-
thizers would have welcomed the
nomination of MIR. McAdoo. In large
numbers they would have supported
him Their adhesion has always been
the trump card in the McAdoo hand.
But--as rail workers leaders have
put it-while McAdoo is their idol,
Bob" La Toilette is their god
Loyal support for a McAdoo nominal
tior would become frenzied enthu-
siasm for Il La Toilette candidacy.
Bill Now in House.
Congress is at this moment Srap-
pling with measure that is destined
to have decisive influence upon third
party developments from the rail
roadmen'S standpoint. The Howell
Barkley bill, or so-called railroad
l,,xr h ri
ward passage in the House under the
new rules. Representative Barkley
of Kentucky, ranking Democratic
member of the House committee on
interstate commerce, obtained the
number of signatures necessary to
have the committee discharged from
further consideration of the bill-154
altogether, $50 only being required.
On May >, Barkley will move to put
the bill on the House calendar. He
will require a majority vote to attain
that objective. Friends of the meas
ure not only expect to have them, but
eventually to marshal a majority in
favor of the bills enactment. It's
frank purpose is to smash that por-
tiOn of the Esch- h-Cummins law with
which rail labor is discontented. In
effect. it restores the time media
ton and conciliation boards.
The railroad men have been keep
ing weather eye on the Howell
Barkley bill for many weeks. Com
paratively little has been heard of 1t
publicly because of the countrys pre-
occupation with fede raj scandals and
Investigations. But politicians who
are watching the course of events
realize that the position is loaded
with dynamite with respect to the
1924 preside ntial campaign. The bill
is sponsored as a bipartisan measure.
Barkley, Democrat is its parent in the
House. Howell, Republican progress
sfve and Republican national com
mitteeman from Nc ebraska, gives the
bill its name in the Senate. But it
is recognized, notwithstanding, as an
ultra a-progressive project, whose real
ogenitors, friends and supporters
are the forces behind a third party
movement
The Howell -Barkley bill is assured
of the support of the So-called pro-
gressive and insurgent bloc in both