Evening star., 1928-05-14
MERGER BILL WINS
FAVORABLE REPORT
House Committee Centers
Debate on Granting
of Charter. -...

By two votes, onA of 10 to 8 and the
other by to 5, the House District com
mittee today ordered favorable report
on the street railway merger BILL.
While the first vote was being taken
Representatives jenkins of Ohio and
Rathbone Of Illinois reserved the right
to change their vote later, saying that
they we're not sufficiently convinced on
several points to take more definite
stand. Representative Hammer of
North Carolina declared he would never
vote for the merger while the language
Of the bill was so Indefinite. He called
it most damnable bill" and said that
while he desired to vote for merger,
he would rather quit Congress than
support this measure. Representative
Lampert, Wisconsin, declared: "I don't
like this bill. don't like the valuation
I reserve the right after further study
to change my attitude" On the first
vote those who supported the bill were
Representatives Underhill, MasSachu-
setts: Mcleod, Michigan; Rathbone.
Bowles. Massachusetts,; Bowman, West
Virginia: Hall. Indiana; jenkins, Combs.
Missouri: Lampert and Zihlman, Mary
land Those who recorded against the
bill were Gibson. Vermont: Gilbert,
Kentucky, and Hammer.
Amendment Is Fought
The big fight of the day, however, was
over an amendment proposed by Mr.
Gibson to have Congress grlsnt the
charter to the merged company instead
Of authorizing the Public Utilities Com
mission 10 grant the charter. the Ian
guage Of the amendment being "and
said Capital Transit Co. when incorpo-
rated by an act Of Congress shall have
all the powers, benefits, etc"
This amendment was adopted but
later Mr.. Combs called attention that
the committee would be placed In the
position OF having reported the bill bur
not having ratified the agreement. SO
that no charter could be issued until the
agreement was ratified He declared
that the amendment was clearly IN con-
fiLct with the unffcation agreement
Mr.. GIBSON asked what sacred righk fha
unific4ti0n agreement had to restrict
Congress to its duty as to what Congress
thinks Is right In making laws.
MFR. Rathbone declared that the Glib
son amendment was an additional safe
guard and ought not to be reconSid-
cred. He expressed the opinion that
Congress had q perfect right 10 change
the methods of procedure In bringing
about q merger. Mr. Combs warned the
committee that In passing the bin with
the Gibson amendment, "we'n Junk the
last four weeks work" Mr. Gibson re-
torted. Better junk four years, work
before you pass bin that Is wrong"
This amendment was stricken from
the bin by a vote OF 8 to 5. The vote
was--for, Underhill. Mcleod, Bowles.
Bowman. Combs and Zihlman: against
Gibson. Rathbo1ie. Lampert. Hail and
Hammer. Mr.. Gibson called attention
that II Mr.. Gilbert. who by unanimous
consent at the last meeting was al
lowed to record himself opposed TO the
bill. and Representative Jenkins. who
had left the meeting. were present, they
both would have voted nay and the
amendment would have been retained.
Proposal Rejected.
Mr.. Hammer offered q motion to
defer further action and to have the
committee chairman ask an opinion
nom the Attorney General on several
questions. but his proposal was rejected
At this point Mr.. Gibson observed. I'VE
have no right in this matter. Some
thing secret is being done" Mr.. Ham
mer replied. I'VE win have our rights
on the floor OF the House."
On the motion of Mr.. Combs to re-
port the bill with the Gibson amend
nlent stricken out, those voting In
favor were Underhiil, Mcleod. Bowles,
Bowman Hail. Cole, Combs and Zihl.
man. Those voting against were Glib
SON. Rathhone. Lampert. Gilbert and
Hammer.
Representative Gibson served notice
mat ne would file minority report.
Inc committee struck from the bill
an amendment inserted at the last
meeting requiring the Inerged company
to recognize the right OF employees in
collective bargaining which would re-
quire the companies 10 deal with the
labor union in labor disputes.
Mr. Hammer again called attention
TO q provision In the unitication agree
ment which sets the rate base at $50
100000, but says that this may be In
creased by hetterment and Improvement.
Mr.. Hammer declared that this Is CIV
ing the corporation authority 10 In
crease the rate base and to keen all re-
tirementS In the rate base until amor
tined. "and they viii not be amortineSl
until your children are dead and gone" "
he insisted that the untficAti0n agree
ment should be changed 10 say deii-
nttely that the rate base OF $s0.00o. 900
shall remain for 10 years,
II the merger Is not passed at this
session Of Congress. 1t does not mean
that the merger prospects are dead. be-
cause under the unisAcation agreement.
Congress is allowed until june 1. 1929.
TO accept the proposal for q merger,