Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-04-07
The Eisht.asur Law.
RlPoRT OF sUB.coMMITTrs ON NAVAL Az.


Inc following Is the report OF Messrs
stevens, OF New Hampshire, and Archer OF
Maryland, the subcommittee of the NavL
Commi Tee OF the House Of Representatives on
the eight-hour question, and the wages of La.
borers connected therewith:
To the BOase Committee on Ndrol Afairs-CSen.
Iiemrn: Tne Subcommittee, TO whom was re-
ferred the letter Of the Secretary OF the Navy
requesting repeal Of he eight hour system,
org ieavc TO report that at the date OF sale let.
ter, as well as At the time OF the reference i,
was understood that the department had ne
power to reduce the wages Of the laborers,
Wofkmen and mechanics in their employ below
the current prices paid for similar labor ont
side, such having been the opinion Of Attorney
cfenerai Evarts In giving construction OF the
law. since the reference, however, the Navy
department nave issued an order reducing
such wages 20 per cent. This construction of
the law, in the opinion Of the sub committee
renders Its repeal unnecessary for the purposes
OF economy, as suggested in the letter OF the
honorable Secretary, as, under the present con-
strnction, reduction Of wages pro rata can De
mace. "
In regard to the o'her and more general
ground taken by the secretary, that the law is
working very injuriously to the interests of the
navy, the committee are of the opinion that ~ 8
repeal would be In accordance with the priu-
ciples and policy which have been adop,rd hx
Congress, somewhat xperimentally, perhaps
In regard 10 these classes Of employees
Ine Joint resolution constituting eight hours
day work was passed June 18th, 1865, an d
mas not, as Tar as your committee can lear a.
given rise TO any complaint of an official char.
acter until the recent letters Of the Secretary of
me Navy referred TO- In the opinIon Of your
committee would have been just and proper
that the Committee on Appropriations should
have reported a sum sufficient to carry on :ba
work In all departments of. the goverrm-n,
under the eight-heur law, and II they have
failed TO do so In the case of the NAVY. as the
letter OF the Secretary implies, and have Gu.
down the appropriations to the 10 west figures
as the 81 oretary states thereby causing em mar
sary th,l 10
tufing eight hours a days work ought no. Iu
any sense to be charged with the embarrass
nent.
Such neglect may be good reason whv wors
should be suspended until the deficiency in IN.
appropriations can b. supplied, but IL can hay.
no legitimate bearing upon the important and
disturbing question of wha6 shall constitute
day s work in government employ. II cannoi
De taken even as an indication that Congress
intended to abandon the policy which il has
es.aoi,sned under the law. Your commit
lee believe fhat the law should have a fair and
Impartial trial in all branches of the public
service to which il is applicable, and that il
snonio not be repealed hastily, or in the
absence OF searching in vestiearion into ITS re.
suits For these reasons they cannot recon-
mend Its immedi ate repeal
On the other ha and, the committee are of the
OPINION tnat, inasmuch as the wages OF the
workmen and mechanics have been red uced 20
per cent by order of the Department and that
the reduction must necessarily cause great in.
convenience and hardship among the large
AuhhooA Va uAeA ciLptOyeu at the lower class OF
wages, while II makes an in vidious distinction
between the employees in the Navy Depart
ment and those of the same classes in other
branches OF the public service, il would be
Just and proper to re commend the passage O. 8
declaratory joint re solution, as follows
"Res0lred dy the .Sndte and House of RepreSsn-
tdhres. Tnat the JOINT resolution reducing and
resuiating the hours OF labor Of Gcvernmeot
!aborers, workmen and mechanics, approved
June 25, 1868, shall not be so construed as 70
authorize corresponding reduction of wages.
Every respectfully submitted. .
"a. F. STEVENS,
STEVENSON ARCHER,
Sr1hl lN<,x,ar,