The Washington times., 1924-01-10
RAILROAD FIGHT
IN CONGRESS
To Be HOT
Brookhart Says Bloc VIII Try
. to Squeeze ''Water" Out
Of Securities.

ny WMs As nUIChANSONS
International News Service.
Announcement Of an energetic
campaign to revise and repeal
some sections Of the transporta-
tion act came swiftly on the heels
today Of the selection Of a Demo-
crat, Senator Ellison D. Smith Of
South Carolina, to the chairman
ship Of the Interstate Commerce
Committee in a Republican-con-
trolled Congress.
Railroad Fight Certain
Smiths election by coalition Of
Democrats and Republican insur.
gents apparently has made certain
Q railroad fight Of far-reaching prO.
portions In the turbulent Sixty.
eighth Congress. The Democrats
are opposed to the Esch-C Cumnins
bill as matter Of party policy,
and the La Toilette insurgents are
rabid against it--thus placing the
laws enemies in the majority in
both houses.
Senator Brookhart (Repl Of Iowa,
who 10 acting more and more as
the spokesman for the insuPgent
group, gave an outline Of what the
insurgents hope to accomplish
through coalition with the Demo
Gratis.
Outlined BY BEOolkIlart.
1--WE have made a good start, "
said Senator Brookhart. More viii
follow to startle the Old Guard
leadership. There will be fewer
party ties in this Senate from now
on than ever before in history. We
voted for Smith for the same rea.
son, we voted for La Toilette and
Couzens, namely, to rewrite II moi
repeal the Esch- -Cummins act.
1T was not q partisan question
to us, but one Of railroad policy
Senator Smith stands with uS on
that policy. We tried for five
weeks to reach a compromise with
the Old Guard leadership, but they
refused even to discuss the queE,
ton with Us. When they persisted
in refusing to call a party confer
enco, we gave our support to a
Progressive Democrat to end the
deadlock, and start action upon our
railroad progam. We look upon
the result as a victory for Pro-
gressiveS."
Plans For Railroads.
'"The railroad policy. for which
we stand and which Senator Smith
has endorsed, is based on the re.
Esch- -Cummins act," said Brookhart.
80 -
81 ,000, ,000, 900 Of water out of rail-
road valuations. abolish the railroad
labor board in favor Of a concilia-
tion board and force a reduction In
railroad rates"
Smith,. who was the first mem.
Der of q Senate minority ever to be
elected chairman Of a major COM
mittee, announced this morning he
would issue a statement Of policy
later.
"I want the country to know" T"
he said, that this honor was con-
ferred on me wholly without my
seeking. have been chairman OF
this committee before, but that was
when the Democrats were In the
majority. am ready. however. to
shoulder the task again."
No Fear Of Punishment.
The insurgents, meanwhile, voiced
defiance Of political punishment"
from their own party. La Toilette,
they said, is more powerful than the
party in Wisconsin; Brookhart won
over organized Republican opposition
in Iowa; Ladd and Frazier are su.
preme in North Dakota, while Ship.
stead and Johnson are Farmer.
Laborites who defeated the Repub.
lican party in Minnesota. These were
the six Senators whose bolt elected
Smith.
In addition. the insurgents claimed
Senators Norris and Howell Of
Nebraska, Gooding and Borah Of
Idaho, Capper of Kansas, Johnson Of
California, Couzens of Michigan and
Norbeck of South Dakota would sup
port in part, at least, their program
on railroad legislation. They like
wise claimed a majority on the In.
teraEate Commerce COMMITTEES it,
self.
With the committee split ten
Republicans and seven Democrats,
the insurgents declared SENATOR
La Toilette, Gooding. C0uzens and
howell would jOln the Democrats
IN reporting progressive railroad
legislation. Against this majority,
however, the insurgents were pre-
pared to meet one and possibly
TWO d1saffections from the Demo
cratic ranks on the committee.
Their least optimistic tabulation,
though, would give them nine
TO eight majority In the COM
mlttee room and resulting con.
troll on the drafting Of all rail.