The Savannah morning news., 1904-05-23

Thousands of Contractors Interested
in a Decision Whether the Present
S-HOur LAW Applies to the Canal
and whether the S-HOur Bill Now
Before Congress, if Passed, win
AppIy-What the S-HOur Bill Pro-
poses.
BY r. NJ. Larner.
Washington, D. c.. May 22.-One of
the most important questions with
which the Panama Canal Commission
will shortly have to deal is whether
the present eight-hour law, act of
Aug, /, 1902, applies to the construc-
ton of the Panama canal. and wheth-
er, if passed. the eight nour bill now
before Congress will so apply.
Not only are thousands of prospective
contractors and sub-contractors vital
ly interested in a decision on these
points, but also the public at large. as
the application of either the present
law or the pending bill would extend
the time of construction at least two
years. and increase it's cost by many
millions of dollars.
It is understood that the American
Anti-Boycott Association. which in
cludes in its membership many build
ers and dredgers and others who may
become directly or indirectly interested
in canal contracts, will undertake to
secure a decision from the proper Off
Gals. In this event. Mr.. Daniel Dav-
export, of Bridgeport, Conn, the Exc
cutive agent of the association. who
has been so prominently identified with
the opposition to the eight-hour bill,
will have charge of the case.
Labor Leaders Interested.
The leaders of organized labor are
also looking into the matter carefully,
for although the canal will be To-
Gated far from the United States, 1t
will be dug on American territory, or
territory under the jurisdiction of the
United States, and be constructed and
owned by the government. and the
application of the eight-hour principle
to a government work of this magni-
tude would not only be triumph, but
have a far-reaching, and, they be-
lieVe, wholesome moral effect. On the
other hand, those who, like Mr.. Da-
venport. regard the eight-hour law as
vicious and the bill for its extension
as socialistic, hold that under no cir
cumstances should either be so APP
piled.
In discussing this subject, Mr.. Da-
venport said: "In opposing the eight
hour bill l spoke for the allied inter
ests which / represented in part and
incidentally for the great interests
which are concerned in doing public
work for the government in the nature
of dredging and harbor work, and also
those people that will have to do prob
ably, with the building of the Panama
canal In 1892 Congress passed a law,
which made it unlawful for any con-
tractor or sub-contractor doing work
upon the public works to require or
permit any laborer or mechanic 10
work more than eight hours in any
calendar day and further imposed the
savage penalty upon any contractor or
subcontractor, who Intentionally per-
mitted any man to work more than
eight hours on any such work in one
calendar day of making him liable
to a fine of 81 900, or Imprisonment for
six months or both, at the option of
the judge before whom he was tried.
Effects of the Proposed Law.
But the pending eight-hour bill
pies on the agony far beyond that
under the law as it stands to-day
said Mr.. Davenport. ANY contractor
who Intentionally violates the present
Law is liable to penalty, any sub-con-
tractor who violates the law is sub
ject to that penalty. But, the eight
hour bill leaves that law still in force
and proceeds further and makes the
contractor liable to a heavy fine: that
is, a penalty of IS for every man EN-
ployed whether he does il intention
ally or not, not only for himself, but
for the sub contractor, and whether the
sEb-contractor is Intentionally violat-
ing the law or not. In other words. il
is proposed by act of Congress to make
the contractor responsible for IS per
day for every man whom the sub
contractor may permit to work, more
than the allotted time. The question
is whether the eight-hour law, and the
elght-hour bill, If it passes, with all
these severe penalties. are to be ap-
piled to the construction of the Pan
anna canal.
May Not Apply to Panama.
1t is argued by some that as the ca
nal zone is entirely under the control
of the Canal Commission, acting Of
course. under the supervision of the
Secretary OF war, ana by tne ulTeCliOn
of the President the eight-hour act of
1892 does not ex proprio vigore apply
to the zone and that until Congress
shall determine otherwise the matter
rests entirely with the commission. IT
Is further represented that as the ca
nal will necessarily be constructed so
largely by labor other than from the
United States, the commission will not
restrict such labor to eight hours a
day. But while it is not probable that
the commission would undertake to
enforce this law should the canal be
constructed directly under its supervi-
sion. what the prospective contractors
want to know is whether they would
be exempt il the work should be done
under contracts and they should be
fortunate enough to secure some of
them. In the absence of an authoTi-
tative opinion in advance they fear
the question might be raised at a la
ter time by the labor organizations at
home ard they might be heavily
mulcted.
What the Bill Proposes.
OF even greater consequence to the
members of the anti-Boycott Associs-
ton. is the matter of the application
of the eight-hour bill. That provides
for the employment of labor on all
kinds of government work for only
eight hours a day, and the question
is whether It would apply to the man