The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-06
POLICE BILL OPPOSITION
The District Commissioners DiSap-
prove of an Eight-Hour Day.
An Adverse Report on the Measures
Pending in Congress Now Being
the Objection - The Late Major
Moore's opinion on the Subject.

The Commissioners are preparing TO
make an adverse report on the bills that
have been introduced in the House and
Senate to regulate the hours of persons
EMPLOYED as policemen. fremen, and OIL
GERS OF the District OF Columbia. The OBJ
ject of the bill is to give the members OF
the police force and the Fire Department
only eight hours duty out OF the twenty
four.
In their report on the matter the Com
missioners vii! say that while they would
like to do everything in their power 10
relieve 1he policemen OF the arduous duties
they now perform and that they are not
opposed to the Law on the principle en-
bodied in il, they are Of the opinion That
The enforcement of such law IS not
practicable at this time, and that its pas
sage through the houses OF Congress would
be ill-advised
This action OF the Commissioners finally
disposes for all time Of the movement set
on foot last year TO provide shorter and
much more comfortable trick o! duty for
the policemen and iremen. The first bill
on the subject was introduced in the Sen
ate March IS. 1897. and was referred 10 The
District Committee
The bill was then sent TO the Commits
jioners for report, and by them referred
to the Superintendent Of Police. The late
Major William G. Moore was in charge of
the Police Department at this time. and
he recommended that unfavorable action
be taken on the bill. lie said that should
the bill become a law it would seriously
interfere with the discipline of the force.
Under it's provisions" Major Moore
said amy policeman who has served eight
hours during the day cannot be required TO
do any ore duty in the remaining sixteen
hours no matter how urgent the occasion,
whether TO suppress riot, TO aid in staying
the progress of q conflagration, or even TO
be continued on the street. overtime on an
occasion such as a Presidential Inaugural
ton.
In accordance with this endorsement the
Commissioners wrote to Senator Mcmillan,
Chairman OF the Senate District Commit
tee and advised him to withdraw the bill,
giving in substance the report OF the Chief
of Police.
On June ~. 1897 another bill was intro
duced in the House of Representatives
making the same provision. except that it
called on the police 10 be on duty at such
times as were mentioned in the recon-
mendation OF Major Moore on the Senate
bill. Before reporting this bill the
Commissioners made memorandum report
for the District records, in which they
stated their position, as follows:
The Commissioners desire TO place
themselves on record as being favorably
disposed 10 the restriction Of all ordinary
labor TO eight hours out OF the twenty-four.
IL will be noted, however that the act Of
August ], 1892, commonly known as the
eight-hour law. expressly and advisedly re-
stricts the provisions of the act TO laborers
and mechanics, recognizing that there are
other classes OF employees, notably those in
the service of the Army and Navy. to which
II would be impraoticable 10 apply pro
visions OF this character.
The police for is in a similar class,
and while, II the ~ ce were inrge enough
10 permit it, the Commissioners would be |
glad to restrict the ordinary daily duty OF |
the police 10 eight hours out CT the twenty
four, they deem it would be decidedly in /
furious 10 public interests 10 have the use (,
fulness Of the force impaired as seriously |
as it would be we're this bill enacted into |
law"