Evening star., 1947-06-11
Reed Expects Senate
To Approve Rail Bill
with Is Dissenting
by The Assoeioted Press

Senator Reed, Republican, Of Kan
sas said today the Senate, with moi
more than 25 dissenting votes, viii
approve this week his bill to exemp,
railroads rate-making conferences
! from the antitrust laws.
He told newspapermen he knows
of only about three Senators who
want to speak further against the
measure. But he added that II II
appears that passage will be long
delayed, he will ask for night ses-
sions, possibly starting tonight.
Senator Reed said his only reason
for pressing for early action Is that
he does not want ito tie up the
Senate"
All the principal opponents Of the
measure, Senator Reed said, have as
sured him they will not attempt to
block vote by delaying tactics.
Russell to Fight Bill.
When Senator Reed announced
that he might seek to hold the
Senate in session at night, however,
Senator Russell, Democrat, of
Georgia said he would be on hand
and II intend to squirm and pro-
test against it (the bilD as vigor-
ously as ! can
The bill, similar to one approved
by the House last year, would ex-
empt railroads and other common
carriers from prosecution under the
antitrust laws for entering into rate
making conferences, approved by
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion.
Senator Tobey, Republican, Of
New Hampshire, who led the attack
on the bill yesterday, said its enact
naent would place a monopoly grip
on the neck of American small busi-
ness and the American farmer"
The New Hampshire Senator,
conceding that most of his follow
Republicans will vote for the meas
ure, said such support "contravenes
our party's platform
He said President Truman is ION
record against railroad monopolies'
and expressed belief that the SEN
ate might sustain a possible veto
OF the bill.
Senator Tobey later told his col
leagues he had words with three
railroad lobbyists" in the Senate
dining room about his opposition to
the bill. He quoted an unidentified
Justice Department official as say
ing that the trio called him name
and said he ought Ito go to hell
Senator Tobey said he walked
over to the trio and told them
my compliments to you gentle
men. I understand you called me
a and consigned me to hell.
It's a free country and you can
say what you please. But let me
say to you that the statement I
read lin the Senatel if your own
statement. You're crooked, STR"
DepIores Lack Of Interest.
Senator Tobey had cited previous
investigations of the railroads which
he said showed, by their own admis-
sion. that they used "chicanery and
skullduggery' to influence legis-
lation.
The New Hampshire Senator, who
had complained in his speech about
a lack OF interest In the bill, IN
mid-afternoon sent a penciled note
addressed ito press gallery" which
read: "A moment ago not a single
Senator on our side of
aisle. The great American desert
is typihed."
Senators Hoey, Democrat, of North
Carolina and Moore, Republican, OF
Oklahoma carried the burden yes
terday for advocates of the meas
ure.
Senator Hoey said enactment would
merely insure the legality OF rate
operations which have been
conducted for the past 40 years or
more.
Senator Moore said shippers are
unanimously in favor of passage
and he added that if railroads are
deprived of the right to engage in
rate making conferences "it is OBJ
vious to the most casual observer
that chaos will follow"