Show I jUI v tv-v-ij-l A A L T V AJ LI LL tJ on all all' Y Saturday a ur ay CONSIDER i rA PASSAGE A E EA A VII Al AlHouse House Senate Get Fo Formal al Report From Confer Conferees Who Tho Rewrote Measure Debate L Limited to 5 Hours B By Winder R. R Harris larris Service Stuff Sturt Correspondent W vT ASHINGTON Feb 18 lB The The railroad bill which has been heen practically written re-written since its passage paz pas sage in the thc House and Senate was formally report reported cd by the conferees of or the two branches toda today Agreement was reported in tho the Honse House to take up the measure Saturday Saturday Saturday Sat Sat- r morning orning at 11 Debate under the agreement will willbe be limited to five hours which insures Inn inal u on the conference report be orel Saturday A determined fight n approval al ot of the tho report in the lower branch was made certain however by tho thc refusal of Representatives Sims of ot Tennessee and Barcley DarcIe of or K Kentucky tho the two Democrat Democrat Dem Dern- conferees on the part of ot the House t to to- sign it Opposition T IM Jill Announced Both members announced their unalterable un alterable opposition to the legislation in its present form Corm and anti Mr 11 Ducley Barcley se secured unanimous consent to insert In Inthe Inthe Inthe the record a statement o of his positron position More than ihan two thirds of or the Democrats Democrats Democrats Demo Demo- in the House aro arc opposed to the bill and estimates place place- tho number of ot Republicans who will vote yote against IX U. SI 43 S hi high h as fifty I Only Onh twenty three Democrats f. f ored the measure when it passed th the tho House originally and it is believed this thIs number will b be considerably decreased 11 no now 0 V. V There Is no effort though to bring about a partisan lineup The D Democrat Democrat Demo Demo- mo- mo crat leaders assert that the they have hav n no- no intention of ot playing politics polities They want as ns man many Republicans Republicana as ns possible to o vote vote- with them li In b Vital nal t tIn In view yie of President Wilsons Wilson's an announced announced announced an- an determination of ot returning the roads to to- their private owners owners on March MarchI I 1 tho the Republican leaders lenders declare it ft b j Is Continued on page paga 3 r ACTION t RAIL BILL if ti SAW b Report Formally hd to House and Senate I II I page 1 lot std d f from p to p Dug s tho the rt moment it et claim thero there tho thoY Ion ot of feds fed fed- near ne era r s r eral regulation of oC th the common carriers I I In Ih United d States en engaged aged In interstate inter inter- inter j I I state tato commerce t i I II I Tho outstanding feature e ture of ot tho the prop proposed pro pro- I p posed law lawone avid and one the one ono which pro pro-I has hasI I aroused tho tiro greatest opposition Is the thc section which guarantees cl to tho the railroads railroads rail rail- 1 I roads rouIs n. n z new operating operating- In Income omo equal toper to toI OJ pe per C cent e of the aggregate rrt a. a o property I I I value lu of ot tho the roads Tho The Interstate commerce commission 13 Is directed ed In the I bill to establish e h a L l level v r of ot earnings I I that wIll sill yield this U return In each ench rater rate rate- r ma group J Consolidation Jon Is I Approved Conf Considered cred of almost important Importance are the pr provisions for the creation of lit f a railroad board of ot appeals appeals' with Jurisdiction Jur jur- over o all railway allway disputes for or orI p permissive consolidation of oC tho ro roads ds I Into a limited number of or systems and for tor eat g-eat ea appropriations claimed to be bo I n necessary to enable tho railroads ds to toI I successfully pass through what wh ma may maybe be foe a a. period of oC financial difficulties following fol fol- lowing tho relinquishment nr of or federal tOl 1 i control In tho ho guarantee section commonly known as LS section 6 of oC the Senate bill I I I I I I th the Interstate commerce commission IsI Is la authorized authorized to add to the tho by 5 per cent guaranteed not operating Income tome 4 8 of oC l 1 per c cent cont nt for Cor additions betterments and Improvements Imp which under tho ho accountinG accounting ac accounting ac- ac counting rules of at the commission lore are charged to capital account K to 0 Be Dc Divided Earnings In excess of ot 6 per cent will willbe willbo bo be divided equally between each cach carriers carrier's carriers carrier's car car- rier's reserve fund and the federal general general general gen gen- eral railroad contingent fund which will bo be administered by the commission commission commis commis- sion slon In aiding aiding- tho development of transportation trans trans- transportation b by loans to tern can and the tho purchase of ot equipment to be 1 leased to carriers The guaranteed return as ns provided for Cor In the bill will In effect for tor two years ears beyond March 1 1920 The The commission Js is s atter that period to fix and publish the tho percentage percentage percent percent- age of ot return In establishing levels of at rates necessary to the amount of or return specified authority Is 18 given the commission to initiate rates a a. function which up tl to this time has rested wholly with the carriers Tho right of ot tho the carriers to I rates however Is not disturbed Section Se Ih Rewritten Tho The labor section of or the tho bill was rewritten re rewritten re- re written at tho the last moment to conform conform conform con con- form to suggestions made by Director General of oC H Railroads limes It creates cre cro- ates a tribunal of oe nine members member three r n p i h. h h three the tho s fi and three public to be known as the tho railway r board of or appeals which will Willi have power to take Jurisdiction of disputes disputes disputes dis dis- between the thc railroads and their which whirl threaten Interference with Interstate commerce This bill makes It tho the duty of ot tho the railroads and their however to exert ever every rent re reasonable effort and I adopt every ry available means to avoid I ever every interruption of Interstate tn commerce com com- merce Railway Hallway boards of or labor adjustment adjust adjust- ment may bo established d b by tho the carriers car car- i and the but bul no specific stipulations for the thc creation of or these I i minor boards hoards is made In other words I Ithe the establishment of oC these boards will willbe be wholly voluntary on the part of Ie tho the railroads and ann their The plan to o have ha five no minor boards was i abandoned rOH r boon iven Appeal Board t Tho The board of appeals will wUl establish headquarters in Chicago o. o Ill Under tho the terms of or the bill but hearings s may hn Vi alii wham ATI th t v s1 rl 1 AS sf s 0 PI I r- r tribunal will ni nih h have c power r i to is s subpoena bp i I witnesses and documentary evidence and ami failure t to obey a sU subpoena of oC the hoard board may result In citation m for contempt contempt contempt con con- tempt of court In tiny any fo eral district court on motion of oC tho the board Decisions Dc of at the board must be bo concurred concurred concurred con con- In by at least five members of oC the tho tribunal one of or whom must bo be from tho the public group No o penalty I clauses are attached tl to tho titO labor provisions provisions pro pro- visions but the section was vas written with the view that public opinion would support the tho findings of an Impartial impartial Im im- partial tribunal Members Member to Get t Year Each member will receive a L Ly y year ar Fifty thousand dollars Is 13 appropriated appropriated ap ap- Lp- Lp for tor tho expenses of or the board The Tho terms will be o for tor five years Representatives on tho the board of ot tho the carriers and the will bo named by the tho President Pre from a list of six nominees each to bo be submitted by hy each side The public representatives representatives tives will wUl b be appointed dI directly by the tho President Tho The nominations must b bo be approved by the Senate Tho The labor Jabor provisions we-ro we drafted with a C view of creating a o agency that could handle handlo the existing exIsting- demands of or railway for tor wa wage e Increases Prevailing Wage noc to be Paid The bill provides that wa wages es and salaries not less Jess than those In e effect at the termination of or federal control must bo be paid by hy the tho carriers until September September Sep Sep- 1 1 1920 1930 Tho The provision In th the House b bill 11 under which wIllen wa wages es and working conditions orders of tho the director director tor general would have havo been made binding until changed b by mutual mutu a agreement agreement agree agree- ree- ree ment of ot the tho carriers and was eliminated from th the the- measure On tho the subject of rate making tho the bill hives gives the commission the further power tl to to- prescribe minimum rail rates This provision will give the commission commis commis- don sion au authority thorl t to prevent pre t tho carriers from en engaging In rate wars which occurred occurred occurred oc oc- a a. number of ot years ago Representatives Rep Rep- cs of oC tho the commission asked that this power be given the commission commission commission commis commis- sion s- s so that It could stabilize the rate situation Emergency Emergency- Powers Po Broad Under what ore are termed the the- car r servIce ice fee sections of the tho bill tho ho commission commission commission commis commis- sion in times of oC emergency ency is given the tho broadest power over distribution of oC cars and equipment for the purpose of oC relieving congestion on of oC traffic Authority Authority Authority Au Au- is also given the commission I to require Joint use of or terminals and ana pooling of or carriers carriers' facilities facUlties |