Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-27
HEARING ON THE NEW NINE
HOUR LAW.
Operating Officials Ask the Inter-
state Commission for an Ex-
tension of Time.

Operating officials of railways from all
parts of the country today were in at
| tendance upon the hearing given by the
interstate commerce commission of appli-
cations for an extension of the time of
the going into effect of the "nine-houT
law
In all. thirty-seven applications were
received by the commission asking for
the extension. Two of them already have
been denied. those of the Georgia South
ern and Florida railway and the St. Jo-
seph and Grand Island railway because
in the opinion of the commission, the
petitions did not show what, in the terms
of the act would constitute good cause"
for granting the relief requested. The APP
plications of the other thirty-five lines are
being heard as one case, because the pc
titions are substantially identical. All of
them assert that they have found it inn
possible to procure the services of COM
petent. efficient and dependable telegra ph
operators in such numbers as will enable
them to comply with the provisions of the
! law; and that, even If they could obtain
the necessary operators, the enforced en-
ployment of so many additional men
would be financial hardship which the
carriers ought not to be subjected to.
Nearly all of the petitions also indicate
that. in the circumstances if the law
Is enforced. the companies will be obliged
to close many small stations on their
lines. thus interfering with the service,
causing inconvenience and possible loss
to the travelling and shipping public and
preventing the prompt movement of
trains.
1t is regarded as significant that. with
the exception of the New York Central
lines, none of the great eastern roads has
made application for extension These in
clude the Pennsylvania, the Erie, the Del
aware, Lackawanna and Western; the Lee
nigh valley, the New Jersey Central. the
Phliadelphia and Reading. the New York,
New Haven and Hartford the Boston and
Maine. and others In the northwest the
Wisconsin Central. the Great Northern
and the Northern Pacific are not repre-
scented among the applicants.
Under the law and ruling of the COM
mission no road which does not apply for
t4e extension can be a beneficiary of any
order granting the extension to other
lines. even If such order should be issued.
1t is assumed. therefore, that the COM
| arrangements to conform to the provi-
sions of the law when it becomes effect
i've on the 4th of March.
Chairman Knapp's Announcement.
At the opening of the hearing Chair
man Knapp of the commission made it
clear in brief statement that the com
mission could not undertake to pass upon
| legislative features of this law. or such
features as clearly involved legislative
policy.
In the course of the hearing two i'm
portant systems of railways, the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy and the Southern
Railway. indicated. by statements and
evidence, that though it might be possible
to procure the necessary additional labor
required by an observance of the law.
it would involve a great financial hard
ship upon the railroads.
General Manager Ackert of the South
ern Railway frankly stated that his sys-
tenn could not bear the burden of the ad-
ditional expense and that if the law was
enforced 1t would mean simply that cur
tailment of operating expenses in every
direction would have to be made. Such
curtailment. he said. would put out of
employment many men now occupying
positions with the company.