Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 January 1919 — CONGRESS AND M’ADOO CLASH [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS AND M’ADOO CLASH

YEARS’ RAIL RULE OR QUIT NOW,” SAYS I - McADOO. Washington, D.C., Jan. 3. A clash between congress and the administration over the disposition of the railroads was foreshadowed by developments today during the examination of Director General McAdoo by the senate committee on interstate commerce. Mr. McAdoo declared that, unless congress complied before March 4 with his request foi a five year extension of the operation of the railroads, the transportation systems Should be restored to private control “as promptly as possible,” without awaiting legislation by the next conBy some senators this declaration was construed as tantamount to a threat designed to force favorable action by congress on the administration proposal to prolong government control of the roads. President Wilson served notice upon congress that he would turn the lines back to their owners in default of legislation* placiing the transportation system on?a new basis, but he fixed no time limit. When Mr. McAdoo submitted his recommendation for a five-year extension he said the president approved his move. Whether the President, however, intends to fdUow the advice of Mr. McAdoo and release the roads to their owners under the old chaotic conditions without giving the next congress an opportunity to act is not clear. The opposition to ,the McAdoo scheme is such that disposition of the questions in the few remaining weeks of this last session of this congress is practically out of the question. This opposition was manifested today by Democratic as well as Republican members of the committee, who grilled the director general on ■ his views. J ... , Questioned by Senator Smith of South Carolina,, chairman of the corr\6 mittee, on his! attitude toward the failure of favorable action on his measure at this session, Mr. McAdoo said: “It is my deliberate judgment that, in the circirfnstances, it would be better to turn the railroads back to private ownership as promptly as possible.” Senator Cummins of lowa, • yanking Republican member of -the committee, said it would be “little loss than a crime” to turn the railroads fixing their status. It would result

in “disastrous and deplorable confusion/’ he asserted. “Disaster will overtake us if we do not allow congress time to work out a proper relationship between the government and the railroads.” • “I cannot see -any ground for that apprehension,” Mr. McAdoo replied, adding that he had had much experience with panics that failed to materialize, as secretary of the treasury. “But, suppose congress does not grant the five year extension,” Senator Cummins continued. “Do you think the railroads ought to be turned back before a reasonable time—say a year—-is allowed for congress to act?” ' “The least ovil-is To turn- the railroads back as promptly as possible in that .case,” Mr. McAdoo replied. He predicted that difficulties of federal operation would increase greatly unless congress provided an adequate period for testing the operation of the roads. Senator Kellogg of Minnesota argued that congress specifically provided that the period of government control should continue for twentyone months after the proclamation of peaces in order to have time to legislate calmly and deliberately on the, railroad question. Mr. McAdoo wered that he hacLalways opposed such a and called attention to the fact that the law gives the President"power .to turn the roads back at any time. / ♦