Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-01-11
SIXTEEN HOUR
LAW PASSES
SENATE
lAFOLLETTE WINS AFTER
HARD FOUGHT BATTLE
Measure Regulates Length Of Time
Men May Be Kept at Work
Operating Trains in Interstate
Commerce.

Commerce.
IBy Morning Journal Special Leased WireI
Washington, Jan. 10.-By vote of
20 to l the senate today passed bill
providing that railway employees en-
gagged in handling trains shall not
work more than sixteen consecutive
hours, which period is to be followed
by ten hours off duty. The one mega
tive vote was east by Senator Pettus.
This result was reached after an en-
tire day spent in considering the sub
ject. The parliamentary situation was
confused during the entire time,
caused by the forty pending amend
ments and the three substitutes for
the bill. all of which had 10 be dis
posed of.
The bill which was finally passed
was substitute offered today by SEN
ator La Toilette and not in print. 1t
was amended in several respects by
the senate.
The bill provides that under certain
contingencies and in case of accident,
the time fixed may be exceeded. The
enforcement of the law is placed in
the hands of the interstate commerce
the penalty provided being a fine OF
not Less than 500 nor more than
$1,000. The act is to apply to trains
doing an interstate or foreign COM
merce business.
The original and the substitute for
it reported by the committee were first
taken up for amendment Many
amendments were accepted and many
rejected, and then Senator Brandegee
offered an entire substitute. which
was rejected.
Senator La Toilette then presented
his substitute which on roll call was
adopted, 26 to 30. 1t was then in
order to offer amendments to this sub
stitute and many were presented. Roll
call followed roll call as the amend
ments came forward. But three of
them were adopted, one by Mr.. Me-
Cumber making an exception of the
time limit in the case of trains delayed
because OF The unexpected delays Ii.
making train connections; another by
Senator Mallory modifying the pen-
atty. and the third by Senator CALM
ger, substituting the words "oif duty
for the words for rest in the provi-
sion regarding the rest period
Among the amendments rejected
was one by Senator Bacon excepting
roads wholly within a state This was
defeated upon roll call the vote be-
ing l6 to SO. Senator La Toilette
failed in his endeavor to add a new
section to his substitute fixing the liza
bility of the roads in case of accident.
After the bin had reached the stage
of receiving a final vote. Senator Knox
discovered that it should be improved
by striking out the words carrying in
terstate freight or passengers" in its
application to trains affected. and
insert engaged in hauling interstate
trains"
The Knox amendment was tabled.
The fna! vote was then taken on the
bill, the full text of which follows:
''Be it enacted, etc, that, it shall be
unlawful for any commont carrier by
railroad in any territory of the United
States or the District Of Columbia, or
any of its officers or agents or any
common carrier engaged in interstate
or foreign commerce by railroad, or
any of its officers or agents, to re-
quire or permit any employe engaged
in. or connected with the movement
of any train carrying interstate or for
eign freight or passengers, to remain
on duty more than sixteen consecutive
hours, except when by casualty oc-
curing after such employe has started
on his trip or by unknown casualty,
occurring when he started on his trip,
and except when by accident or uneX
peeted delay of trains scheduled to
make connection with the train on
which such employe is serving. he Is
prevented from reaching his terminal:
or to require or permit any such ems
ploye who has been on duty sixteen
consecutive hours to go on duty with
fnaer nt TO-, ,ff
duty; or to require or permit any
such employe who has been on duty
sixteen hours in the aggregate in any
twenty-four hours period to continue
on duty or to go on duty without hav-
ing had at least eight hours off duty
within such twenty-four hour period.
Section 2.-That any such COM
mon carrier or any of its officers or
agents violating any of the provisions
of this act is hereby declared guilty of
misdemeanor, and upon conviction
thereof, shall be punished BY fine
Of not less than 500. nor more than
$1,000: and II shall also be the duty of
the interstate commerce commission
to fully investigate all cases of the vio-
lations of this act and to lodge with
the proper district attorneys informa-
ton of such violations as may come to
its knowledge.
Section 3.--That to enable the
commission to execute and enforce the
provisions of this act, II shall have
the power to employ such inspectors
or other persons as may be necessary.
To enforce the provisions of this act
the commission and its agent or EN-.
ployes thereunto duly authorized
by order OF said commission shall
have the power TO administer oaths,
interrogate witnesses. take testimony,
and require the production of books
and papers. The commission may also
order dispositions taken before any
officer in any state or territory of the
United States or the District of CO.
lumbia. qualified by law to take the
same.
"The provisions Of this act shall not
apply to relief or wreck trains."
CANTEEN QUESTION
COMES UP IN HOUSE
Washington. Jan. 10.--The army
e.