OPERATION OF TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS UNDER FEDERAL CONTROL. OCTOBER 27, 1919.-Ordered to be printed. Mr. Escн, from the committee of conference, submitted the fol lowing CONFERENCE REPORT. [To accompany S. 641.] The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the House to the bill (S. 641) entitled "An act to amend section 10 of an act entitled 'An act to provide for the operation of transportation systems while under Federal control, for the just compensation of their owners, and for other purposes,' approved March 21, 1918," having met, after full and free conference, have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses as follows: That the House recede from its amendment numbered 1. That the Senate recede from its disagreement to the amendments of the House numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, and agree to the same. Amendment numbered 11: That the Senate recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the House numbered 11, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows. In the proviso of said amendment after the word "made" insert the words by him, and at the end of said amendment insert the following: except that this proviso shall not apply to cases now pending before the Interstate Commerce Commission, which cases shall proceed to final determination under the law as it existed at the time of the passage of this act; and the House agree to the same. JOHN J. ESCH, E. L. HAMILTON, Managers on the part of the House. ROBERT M. LA FOLLETTE, Managers on the part of the Senate. The managers on the part of the House at the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the House to bill (S. 641) entitled "An act to amend section 10 of an act entitled 'An act to provide for the operation of transportation systems while under Federal control, for the just compensation of their owners and for other purposes,' approved March 21, 1918," submit the following detailed statement in explanation of the effect of the action agreed upon and recommended in the conference report, namely: The Senate conferees agreed to recommend the acceptance of amendments numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, being all of the amendments passed by the House except amendments numbered 1 and 11. Amendment numbered 1 inserted on page 1, line 13, after the word "control" the words "or with any order of the President consistent with this act." Section 10 with this amendment reads in part as follows: SEC. 10. That carriers, while under Federal control, shall be subject to all laws and liabilities as common carriers, whether arising under State or Federal laws, or at common law, except in so far as may be inconsistent with the provisions of this act or any other act applicable to such Federal control., or with any order of the President consistent with this act. The managers on the part of the House agreed to recommend that the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment. Amendment No. 11, on page 3, line 14, after "systems," struck out all down to and including "granted" in line 18, and inserted: except that the amendment of August 9, 1917, to section 15 of the act to regulate commerce, which provides that until January 1, 1920, no increased rate, fare, charge, or classification shall be filed, except after approval thereof has been secured from the commission, shall not be applicable to rates, fares, charges, or classifications initiated or changed by the President: Provided, That no change or increase shall hereafter be made in intrastate rates, fares, charges, classifications, regulations, or practices without having first secured the approval of the proper State regulating tribunals conformable to the laws of the several States. As to this amendment the managers on the part of the Senate agreed to recommend that the Senate recede from its disagreement to the amendment and agree to the same with the following amendment: In the proviso of said amendment after the word "made" insert the words "by him," and at the end of said amendment insert the following: except that this proviso shall not apply to cases now pending before the Interstate Commerce Commission, which cases shall proceed to final determination under the law as it existed at the time of the passage of this act. The managers on the part of the House agreed to this amendment. The effect of this action is to make it clear that the proviso was a limitation upon the action of the President and also to provide that the cases which are now pending before the Interstate Commerce Commission should not be affected by the provisions of the bill. JOHN J. ESCH, E. L. HAMILTON, Managers on the part of the House. CONGRESS, ENLISTMENT OF NON-ENGLISH-SPEAKING CITIZENS AND ALIENS. OCTOBER 27, 1919.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. SANFORD, from the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 3707.] The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 3707) authorizing the enlistment of non-English-speaking citizens and aliens, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it do pass. The act of August 1, 1894, provides among other things that in time of peace no person who can not speak, read, and write the English language (except an Indian), shall be enlisted in the Regular Army. It would seem to be self-evident that it is far safer to enlist illiterates in time of peace than in time of war. In the recent war 24.9 per cent of the men who came in by virtue of the draft were unable to read and understand a newspaper or write a letter in the English language. Schools were established throughout the entire Army and Gen. Pershing has said that not a single American soldier would return with the American Expeditionary Forces unable to write and speak the English language. It has become definitely established that one of the duties of the Regular Army is to educate the enlisted man and return him to civil life better equipped for civil occupations. Authority is given to the Army to employ civilian teachers to aid the Army officers in giving instructions. Provision for education in the Army was included in the national defense act, section 27 and the Army seems to have met this new responsibility with eagerness. Under the provision of the law which it is desired to repeal, American citizens as well as others were prevented from enlisting if they could not read and write. The act of May 9, 1918, permits aliens who have declared their intention of becoming citizens to enter the Army and to be naturalized upon honorable discharge after compliance with the regulations prescribed by the Bureau of Naturaliza tion. It is now proposed to take into the Army all illiterates who are otherwise qualified and teach them the language. It is known that in some of our companies in the recent war a dozen or more languages were spoken and yet these men so conducted themselves that their records seem to be equal in loyalty and gallantry with those of English-speaking soldiers. Of course the proportion of illiterates in the Army at any one time will be very small and so rapidly would the education of new recruits be carried on that the quality of the Army would in no way be affected by the illiterates. The letter of the Secretary of War on this subject follows: CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS, House of Representatives. SIR: Herewith is a proposed bill as follows: MAY 22, 1919. A BILL Authorizing the enlistment of non-English-speaking citizens and aliens. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That so much of the act of Congress entitled "An act to regulate enlistments in the Army of the United States," approved August first, eighteen hundred and ninety-four, as provides that "in time of peace no person (except an Indian) who can not speak, read, and write the English language "be, and the same is hereby, repealed. The purpose of the proposed act is to authorize the enlistment of non-Englishspeaking citizens and aliens who are otherwise eligible for enlistment. Section 2 of the act of August 1, 1894, prohibits the enlistment of anyone who can not speak, read, and write the English language. Of the men inducted into the Army under the selective-service act, it is estimated that 24.9 per cent were unable to read and understand a newspaper or write a letter home. Ifenlistment is authorized as proposed, it is the intention of the War Department to organize recruit educational centers for the instruction of non-English-speaking recruits organized along the lines worked out for illiterates and non-English-speaking soldiers in development battalions during the war. The development battalions during six months from June to November, 1918, handled about 28,000 illiterates and non-English-speaking soldiers. Excellent results in connection with the teaching of English were obtained in these battalions. Men who complete a course in a recruit educational center will be better fitted for their work in the Army, and will become imbued with a proper spirit of Americanism. The idea if adopted will unquestionably meet with nation-wide approval since it makes for better citizenship and a high spirit of Americanism. It might be mentioned that under the act of May 9, 1918, an alien who (having declared his intention to become a citizen) enters the service for three years, may, upon honorable discharge, take out his final citizenship papers if he complies in other respects with regulations prescribed by the Bureau of Naturalization. This matter has been discussed with representatives of the Bureau of Naturalization and the Bureau of Education and all highly approve of the idea. Respectfully, |