Evening star., 1898-04-07
LABOR ON PUBLIC WORKS.
Favorable Report on the Bill Making
an Eight-Hour Day.

an Efght-HOur Day.
The report on the eight-hour labor bill
made by the House committee on labor,
after going into an extensive review of the
labor legislation of recent years, says:
Your committee again submit that Con-
gress, having passed the acts herein stated
or referred to upon the reports herein part
ly quoted, has fully indorsed the principle
and policy Of the eight-hour work day for
laborers of all classes employed by or in
behalf of the United States or the District
of Columbia, including the employees of
contractors and subcontractors.
1T has taken nearly thirty years for the
executive officers of the United States gov
ernInent to get into the habit Of observing
the law Of 1868. There is as yet appar-
ent disposition whatever to enforce the law
Of 1892, as understood and intended by Con-
gress More than five years have elapsed
and a construction or definition of the
words public works has not been obtained
from the law department of the govern
ment."
The report discusses the advantages Of
shorter hours for labor.
The correspondence between Carroll d.
Wright and the committee is given in full.
The report concludes as follows:
This bill seeks to provide for the en-
forcement of the eight-hour laws, by the
simple system of a provision in the con-
tracts, rather than to drive the laborer to
the courts. By this method all questions
vi peISoiidi ana natural rights are avoided
The contractor finds his rights expressed
In the instrument which he executes We
submit hat this introduces no new feature
Into government contracts. Indeed, in
every instance, before payment is made on
any contract. 1t is the business of the Off
clais to ascertain If 1t has been complied
with, and If the money is due, and If not
que because of Noncompliance to with
nold IT, Nobody denies the right of the
government to make and enforce such a
contract
The amended bill as reported provides
that the time Of service of all iaborers.
mGIKmen ,'h,;a ana mechanics employed upon any
PUBIC works Of or work done for the
Omteo states or any territory or the Dis
.Ilct OF Columbia, whether said work is
gone Dy contract or otherwise is hereby
nmited and restricted to eight hours in anv
one calendar day, and it shall he mia ufn,
ZOE any omcer Of the United States or of
any territory or the District Of CoIunhaa
OF any person acting for OF on behalf Of
n;s.r;a4 Snt'ea N states or any territory or said
tastrict. or any contractor or subcontractor
ior any part OF any public works of or work
Done Tor the United States or any Territory
OF =. sal1 district, or any person whose duty
=. Shan % TO employ or to direct and con-
troll the services of such lahorers wor,--
men OF mechanics, or who has in fact the
SIeceion or control Of the services Of sucb
san,orers' ..,,' workmen or mechanics, to re-
DOT more than eight hours in anv ons col.
enoar Jay, except in cases of extraorrIi
l.sry Isy emergency caused by hre, Hood or
osneer 70 life and property.
Sec: 4 That each and every contract to
Wnich the United States, any territorv or
sne District OF Columbia is q party, and
every contract made for or ON behalf of
the United States or any territory or said
district. which contract may involve the
employment OF laborers. workmen or me-
cnanics, shall contain a stipulation that
no iaborsr. workman or mechanic In the
employ Of the contractor or any subcon-
tractor doing or contracting to do any
part OF the work contemplated by the con-
work more than eight hours In any one