Show law WILL SEE BIGHT consolidation ABOLITION PF OP LABOR BOARD UP FOR consideration senator gooding of idaho will pre brer for action on long and short haul bill says say senator watson washington Washing top A bitter battle over tour four highly cou trover elal phases ot of railroad legislation at the next sea sion blon of congress Con greeB Is predicted by senator james E watson of indiana chairman of the senate interstate commerce committee the questions which will bring senators from various sections into conflict are 1 compulsory railroad consolidation 2 abolition of 0 the railway labor board 3 repeal of the guarantee clause of the transportation act 4 repeal of the long and short haul while mr watson said extensive hearings bearings on these question in committee and debate on the senate and house bouse floors would be inevitable hl he expected little real action on any ot of them he added that they would come up immediately after the tax bill is disposed of watsons Wat sona attitude on the consolidation question he indicated would be governed largely by the decision of the interstate commerce commission in the nickel nichel plate merger case he regards it as a test case that may lead to other voluntary mergers and obviate the necessity for legislation on the subject in any event watson said he was not inclined to favor immediate corn com consolidation and prefers to let the situation simmer a while longer and give the roads time to effect voluntary mergers senator cummins of iowa former chairman of the committee la Is expected to press his merger blu biu however repeal of the guaranteed return clause clans demanded by Ar arious farm groups will unquestionably be ba pressed watson said it the nit marger irger question can be satisfactorily settled watson said be expected to see the guarantee question disappear the advocates of the howell dark bark ley bill having virtually abandoned the section of the measure which ahiel provided tor for the receivership of the railway following a strike watson said he action on a measure to abolish the railway labor board and some other method of mediation between railroads and their employees set up in its stead senator gooding of idaho will undoubtedly press for action on the long and short haul bill watson added |