The Washington times., 1906-07-24
Multiplicity of Prosecu-
tiOnS for Violations
Expected.
ORGANIZED LABOR GLAD
Leaders Say Political Activ-
ity Has Obtained Con-
ceSSiOnS for Them.

The Presidents order to officials 10
enforce the eight-hour law promises TO
make plenty of work for the Depart
ment of Justice and the United States
district attorneys who are under the
immediate direction of the Attorney
General
The word. it is said. has been passed
along the liGe to geJ busy. and as this
is the year of the Congressional elec-
tions and the American Federation Of
Labor has already sounded the trumpet
TO organized labor 10 vote only for those
VINO are known TO be the friends Of
labor. the Department OF Justice viii
show labor that the Administration is
a firm believer in the eIgnt-hour law.
The first department 10 show the ef-
feet Of the Presidents order is the
Navy. The Acting Secretary of the
Navy Department has written the De
rartment of Justice for an opinion rela-
tive TO the application Of the eight-houT
law to the men employed on certain
government work done by contract
Acting Attorney General Hoyt is now
engaged in writing an opinion as TO
the effect of the law on mechanics cm-
ployed on the battleships now 'inder
construction. The opinion will be ready
the latter part OF the week. II viii be
one OF the most important I'm its bear
ing on, ship-building for g Govern
ment that has been rendered in long
time and the effect of it may be to
bring the eight-h0ur law before the
United States Supreme Court for final
interpretation
Applies in District.
1t was stated ut the Department OF
Justice today that the eight-hour law
applied to all Government work in the
District of Columbia, and also 10 all
Government work in any part OF the
country. and that contractors are
amenabIe to the law for It's violation.
The penalty for violating the eight-hour
law is 81 600 fine or six months impris-
onment. on both I'm the discretion of the
court.
Further. it was said that every case
of violation of the law brought 10 the
attention of the Department Of Justice
would be turned over to the United
States District Attorney in whose dis
trict the violations have occurred, with
instructions to make a fun investigation
and bring the facts 10 the attention ct
the grand jury.
was suggested by an official that
80 many violations of the eisht-hOur
law might be due to ignorance OF the
law on tho part of the contractor as
well as on the part of the Government
superintendent. but. of course. this fact,
should il be established. would not stop
a prosecution by the law officers Of the
Government. Such a defense, however.
might have some influence with the
court
On City Bridge.
Secretary Morrison Of the American
Federation of Labor, speaking OF the
reported violation of the eight-hour law
by the builders Of the Connecticut ave
nue. bridge. said that eight hours cOnsti-
tute a days work for union labor, and
that the builders of the bridge could not
get skilled union labor TO work for them
because OF the condition imposed, which
was work for more than eight hours
OmCiaIs Of the American Federation Of
Labor say that sudden activity on the
part OF the Administration 10 get after
the Vi0lators of the cight-hOur law for
OffenScs committed months ago, and
when the a. +. of l. had at the time
furnished the pOWers-thaJ-be with data
sufficient tC call for an investigation.
,dn be construed but one way, and that
Is that the Administration Is alive to the
critical political situation by labOrs ad-
vent into active politics
There viii now be lots of prosecutions.
II was said. or VtOlaJOTs OF the eight
hour law. The first cases may be Jried
here.