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Show lit L10II MLij Return of Roads Two Years After War Ends Provided Vote 337 to 6. WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S. The bill to govern federal operation of rail-I rail-I I roada was passed by the house to-' to-' EJgUt by a vote of 337 to 6. Two Democrats and four Republicans Republi-cans voted against the m'casure when i the final test came. They were Thorn-63. Thorn-63. Kentucky, and Gordon. Ohio, Democrats; Demo-crats; Chandler, Oklahoma; Denlson, Illinois; Haugen, Iowa, and Bamsey-w, Bamsey-w, Iowa, Republicans. , Tho senate previously had passed Ihfi bill, which now goes to conference confer-ence for settlement of differences between be-tween the two houses. Tho bill pro-i pro-i vldca for the return of the roads to ; . 'heir owners two years after the war I iiutead of in eighteen months, ns the ifmate draft proposed, and the house - measure ve3ts final rate-fixing author-1 author-1 I')' In the president, while the senate ould leave this power in the inter-j inter-j state commerce commission. These two sections of the bill caused spirited contests in the house todav ' ; Opponents of these features won mo'-fcenlary mo'-fcenlary victories when the bill was I . fussed Jrr the committee of the i jnoic, but on the final voto propon-i propon-i marshaled their forces, rqostly I w ine Democratic side, and succeed-; succeed-; iL. 111 P,lttinE through the bill with S,Kros iDlact' as raraed by the Adopt Amendment, i ' An amendment by Representative Sweet of Iowa, giving the rate-making power to the interstate commerce commission, was adopted in the committee com-mittee of the whole, 1G4 to 157. This showed almost the full strength for the amendment, as when tho voto was taken on final passage it was defeated. defeat-ed. 1C5 to 211. In the committee of the whole an amendment by Representative Esch of Wisconsin, to limit tenure after the war to one year, was adopted, 233 to 10, but like the Sweet amendment it-was it-was thrown out on final passage, 206 to 165. Both senato and house leaders believe be-lieve the conferees will be able to reach a speedy agreement on the disputed dis-puted sections. Administration officials offi-cials have urged prompt action on this and the war finance corporation bill, so the way may be cleared for the third liberty loan, and it was expected expect-ed efforts for quick action would not cease until final passage in both houses. Compensation Basis. The senate bll definitely provides that the basis of compensation shall be a just return on the average net operating income for the three-year period ending June 30, 1917, but tho house bill is a little more elastic. The houseadopted an amendment which would give the president discretionary power to take into consideration money mon-ey spent for improvements by tho roads between Juno 30 and December 28, 1917, tho day they wore taken over. The senate defeated an amendment specifically requiring that such expenditure ex-penditure should be Included. Many house members view their amendment amend-ment as a compromise and think it will be adopted by tie conferees. |