The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1906-09-21
HALF HOLIDAY AND EIGHT HOUR Law

Regarding the recent executive orders concerning halfhoidays the follow
ing explanation is given by Secretary Loeb:
he president directed that half holidays should be given to all mechanics
and laboras in III public service There was a question whether thu could .
done under the law; but as it was open to either c0nstrucn0 'e 1eao h u
rected that it should be done, feeling very strongly hat aborrs AM mecnane
who are paid per diem wages should receive holidays just as the clerks and 9th.
ers,w ho reciv an annual salary, and the President accordingly vent as fr as
under the Law he could go in giving these holidays
From time to time the President has received complaints as to he non-ot,
servance of the eighthour law; but the complaints were usually very dehnte
and moreover there was. liter confusion as to where the responsibility tor seedr
ing the observance of the lay really rested. On March lt last a number o. ne
labor men called upon the President and reiterated these complaints The Pres
ident then asked them to give specifications at their earliest onvenene in dc
tail. Some time elapsed before be secured these specifications, de then turneo
~. =. ~ 49,. ~ anort - tbv vre tre and what stems if an he shoul
tax ito securet hi thorough enforcement of he lay This was not, strictly SPEAK
ing, in the line of Commissioner Nells duties, but the President has determine
that it was necessary to take some outside ma who vas in sympathy with th'
law and practically request him to supervise its execution. On COMMISSIONS
Neil's report the President not only dire cted action to pc taken by the DrHn
Attorney in a case upon which most stress vas laid-that of the Charlcsto
Navy yard; but also instructed all departments to see to it that the law wa
observed in spirit as well as in letter. Most of the complaints related to the ot
van of the law in the var and navy departments and under the President
instructions the following poelamatons were issued in thes two department
This law is low being absolutely enforced:
EXECUTIVE oRDER-It is hereby ordered that on Saturdays during July
August and September, until further notice, four hours, exclusive of time o
.aasnso H. sa cassSsea omn ssrvss At III Government Printing ONCE Wash
igton; provided, that if any skilled mechanic, hborer ore mpoye IN the Clas
sifed Civil Service shall york more than four hours on any Saturday during tn
months aforesaid he shall be paid for such extraw work at the rat of fifty pc
centumm more than his regular and normal compensation and n more.
The White House, June 20, 1906. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
EXECUTIVE onDER-t is hereby ordered that OF Saturdays during j.
~, August and September, until further notice, four hours, exclusive Of tim
for luncheon, shall constitute a days work for skilled mechanics and laboer
and employees in the classified civil service, at all nay yards and naval stations
work more than four hours OF any Saturday during the months Aforesaid, h
shall be paid for such extra work at the rate of fifty per centum in addition t
his regular and normal compensation and n more.
The White House, June %, 1906. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
EXECUTIVE oRDER-t is hereby ordered that on Saturdays during July,
August and s ptember, until further notice, four hours exclusive of time for
luncheon, shall corsitm a days work Tor mechanics, laborers and other EN-
rloyes in the civil service at the manufacturing and supply arenas and depoti
under the var department., and n the offices IF the division and department
commanders and of the varous staff officers at military divisions and depart
mnt headquarters of the army in the United States
The White House, June 49, 1906 THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
EXECUTIVE oRDER-It is hereby ordered that on Saturdays during July,
August and September, until further notice, four hours exclusive of time for
luncheon, shall constitute a days work for m chanes, hborers and other EN-
ployes in the service of the engineer department at large of the war department
The White House, July "a, 1906. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
EXECUTIVE ORDER-Hereafter all employees Of the office of public build
ings and grounds except the Park police, shall be entitled Ito the usual half hol-
al the annua employees shall be pad he temporary emp Dyes hail 10 pad Tor
q as ii oeh MOI tn p divided they have work d contnua udy during
. "a SIC tadt employ nnt o hvo been laid of through n % fault of
their W THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The hte Hou G, July "a, 1906
acre is n order promulgated by Secretary Taft a a memcrardu dun for Chief
Engineers, issued July II, 1905, at the dir elton # the President:
bass e louah 0 h attic ton of tie Secret ry of war that, under IN
p 8 re tr J -ontrl As VIII ch it vas h d hat it va the duty of
sAtr-c.or- with The 80 eminent to oh y tn Nv with refer nee % the Ell hit
our a day provision, ant Tat it was not the p iar spoons i y Ct tie War
Department % see to it that ontraclors obey the law it has beer customary for
the ofc RS Of the engineer dpar m mt and sutord nate engneers to ignore al
together the question wheth r government contac ms are obtyng the law IN
regard to the question VIII re the tech ical responsibility for the violation of
the Jaw falls, it is the Cpl ion of the President, in which 1 concur, hat it is this
dty of the o"crso Of this department, in sp ct to gov nm mt contracts which
arel performed IN err heir $ pc v S n and for the perfo maaceo Of which tn y
arc esponsbs, to use the powe they hv. to prvent vilat ons of law, and
epecial y the federal law, ly tie cortrsco s in the wsrk which comes under
their supervision.
The chief engineer is therefore, directed to require his subord mates to re-
port to him the cases in which labor rs and mechanics POI vernment work
have been within the last W. years required 20 work more than eight hours
day and, if so, under what emergency, if any, this work as perfo med. II
is # course unnecessary to say that a prsonal opinion as to the wisdom of the
law can have 10 bearing at all upon the question of its enfmc ment, or OF the
duty of those who con into contact with its violation being officers of the gov
eminent, to make a full report IF such violations to their supeiors for sci
action as may bc deemed wise.
In all specifications hereafter the especial atterticn of the contractors mus
be called to the eight hour act in order that they may be advu that SHOULD