The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-02-12
CAN'T EXTEND TIME
COMMERCE CoMMIssrON MAKES
 IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT.
The Nine Hour Law, Relating To Em- pIoyment Of Train Dfspafchess And Operators Must Be
 Obeyed.

Fa
 Washington. Feb. 1f.--An important
 announcement was made today by the
 Interstate Commerce Commission, re.
 specting it's attitude toward .he rec
 quest recently made by the operating
 vice presidents of the roads of the
 United States, that the so-cailed nine-
 hour law. relating 10 the employment
 of train dispatchers. telegraph opera
 tors and tower men, be suspended by
 the commission until such time as the
 law could be amended to meet the de-
 sires of all concerned. The commis- sion holds in brief that 1t has no au-
 thority to extend the time or suspend the operation of the law except In a particular case or cases in which hearing has been held and good cause shown for the extension asked Fol- lowing is the commissions announce ment in part:
 Thousands of letters and tclesrams received within the last few days in- dicate widespread misapprehcnsion as to the power of the commission 10 "extend the law" which goes into ef- feet March 4 next. limiting the hours of service of employees engaged In the movement of trains upon the interstate railroads. '.'ss..+ t.-s
 The only authority in this matter is expressed in the law as follows:
 "The Interstate Commerce commis- | sion may after full hearing in par ticular case and for good cause shown extend the period within which ascom-
 mon carrier shall comply with the pro l visions of this proviso as to such case. l The proviso referred to fs that part l of Section which provides that nc l employe who handles train orders by I telegraph or telephone shall be re- 1 uuired Or permitted to be on duty more than nine hours of the twenty | four at offices continually operated night and day. nor more than thirteen hours out of the twenty-fouT at or I fees operated only during the oay | time, except in case of emergency
 fwhen four additional hours may ps I required on not more than three days | in any week. No other provision oi | the law can bc, extended or modified | by the commission.
 | We are of the opinion, without de- | cidinE more definitely in advance or. 2 I full hearing upon such applications as | may be nnade. that good cause -tor+eN 1 tension Is not shown when 1t 10 merely I alleged or made to appear that tne 1 law ouxht not to be enforced at certaln 1 afationa or classes of stations because l tra ru,T,her of train orders handled is small and there is no need of increas- | ing the force of employees. Neither would 1t be good cause, as we believe l to' show that additional operators can I not be obtained at the wages now oi heretofore offered if 1t appears req. sonabiy certain that higher wages | would procure the requisite. numpe' I These are purely questions or sleels.A I tive policy which must have Eoesn oe, l termined by the Congress adversely te l fine carriers, and the commission nai | no right or, authority te postpone tnt taking effect, of this law. 1 we are also of the opinion that suci | ,ower aa we have must be exercised I before the law. takes efect. It is ths l nower to extend. the period allowed for preparation, not the power to sus