The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-06

tho commission physician, after tho
first, have involved charge Of 81 each,
but Colonel Goethals advised me that
this is to be dispensed with.
Good Scale Paid.
TT Is said swith truth that service
under the commission is attended with
a possible risk OF personal injury. due
damage forcwh;ch are not recoverable
under the law from the commission,
while such injuries as are duo to
the negligence of contractors in the
United States entities employees of the
contractors to compensation
TT is, Of course. difficult to weigh
the money measure which should be
allowed for the disadvantage which
American laborers and employees on the
isthmus have to bear, but one must
be arrived at; and, after giving full
effect to all the considerations stated,
am strongly of opinion that the
rate of wages on the isthmus. taken
with the advantages which are en-
joyed by the shovel men on the 18TH
mus. under their terms of employ
ment, are sufficiently in excess of aver
age OF wages in the United States
fully to make up for the greater
strain and risk upon the employees on
the isthmus.
The petition of the construction To-
connective engineers next Is taken up
and after abiding to the fact thae
these men started at $3.50, the secre-
tary says that inasmuch as 1t seeing
to be conceded that they, as we'll as
steam shovel regulars In the United
states. are about the same rates OF pay.
the salaries should be fixed at via
n month, tho amount asked
The Eigilt-Hour Law.
AS to the application OF the eight
hour law to these men. the secretary
says:
I'm pressing their petition for over
lime nav for the additional hour they
gre engaged over the eight hours. tho
locomotive engineers seem
to invoke the standard fixed by the
Federal eight-hour law. If the Fed
eral eight hour law applies to them,
then they can only be engaged eight
hours. That law cannot be evaded or
evoided when it has application ny
treating part OF the regular time taken
40 overtime and paying regular wage
and then a wage for overtime Ihat
law is an absolute limit upon the regu-
lar hours of employment, and the only
legitimate overtime which can be al
lowed and paid for when tho eight
hour law is applicable Is for the tiuo
consumed in meeting an emergency,
which could not be reasonably ant'ci-
rated. Such is not tho additional hour
during which tho locomotive engineers
ere necessarily and regularly engaged
II running their engines and trains to
Che steam shovel In the morning and
In taking them back to the yard at
night Therefore the eight-hour law
lends them no support for contention
here"
Secretary Taft approves as wise
compromise' suggestion by Colonel
Goethals that the overtime should be
added to the six-weeks' leave with
pay, to which each empioye is entitled
each year. TN this way" says Secre-
tary Taft "the overtime could be- en-
tcyed in the United States
The proposition of Mr.. Stevens and
Colonel Goethals to Increase the pay
OF construction train contributes from
$40 to 500 per month Secretary Taft
thinks reasonable. They have asked
for the same wages as the engineers
to-wit: 5000. He holds that there Is no
ground. In the way of preparation for
fitness for the work. responsibility or
duties. for maintaining an equality be-
tween the wages of the two. The va
rlous changes by order Of the President
became effective May 1st