The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-06


the movement for an eight hour day
by a provision of law that none of the
employees employed by or on behalf of
the government should work longer
than eight hours In every twenty-four.
The first declaration Of this view was
not accompanied with any penal clause
and with no provision for its enforce
ment, and. though President Grant by
a proclamation twice attempted to give
it his sanction and to require the on
GERS Of the government to carry 1t out,
the purpose OF the trainers of the law
was ultimately defeated by a decision
of the supreme court holding that the
statute as drawn was merely a direc-
ton Of the government to its agents
and did not invalidate a contract made
In behalf Of the government which
provided in the contract for labor for
a day of longer hours than eight
Thereafter, in 1892, the present eight
hour law was passed. which provides
that the services and employment Of
all laborers and mechanics who are
now or may hereafter be employed by
the government Of the United States.
by the District of Columbia or by any
contractor or subcontraetor on any Of
the public works Of the United States
and Of the said District Of Columbia
is hereby restricted to eight hours in
any one calendar day, and IT shall be
unlawful, etc.
This law has been construed to limit
the application Of the requirement to
those who are directly employed by
the government or to those who are
employed upon public works situate
upon land owned by the United
States This construction prevented
its application to government battle
ships and other vessels built in private
shipyards and to heavy guns and ar
NOR plate contracted for and made at
private Establishments.
The proposed act provides that no
laborer or mechanic doing any part Of
the work contemplated by a contract
with the United States In the employ
Of the contractor or any subcontractor
shall be required or permitted to work
more than eight hours a day In any
one calendar day.
It seems to me from the past history
that the government has been commit
ted to policy of encouraging the I'm
itation of the days work to eight
hours in all works Of construction INF
tiated by itself, and It seems to me H.
logical to maintain a difference be-
tween government work done on gov
ernment soil and government work
done In a private establishment. when
the work is of such large dimensions
and involves the expenditure Of much
labor for considerable period, so that
the private manufacturer may adjust
himself and his establishment to the
special terms of employment that he
must make with his workmen for this
particular job.
To require, however. that every small
by the government should be carried
out by the contractor with men work
ing at eight hours would be to impose
an intolerabIe burden upon the govern
ment by limiting its sources Of supply
and excluding altogether the great ma
jority of those who would otherwise
compete for its business.
The proposed act recognizes this IN
the exceptions which 1t makes to con-
tracts "for transportation by land or
water, for the transmission OF intelli-
gence and for such materials or arti-
cles as may usually be bought In the
open market, whether made to conform
to particular specifications or not, or
for the purchase Of supplies by the
government, whether manufactured to
conform to particular specifications or
not"
I recommend that instead of enacting
| the proposed bill, the meaning OF
which is not clear and definite and
might be given a construction embar-
RAISING to the public interest. the pres
emit act be enlarged by providing that
public works shall be construed to In
cIude not only buildings and work
upon public ground. but also ships,
armor and large guns when manufac-
| tured In private yards or factories.
One of the great difficulties in en-
| forcing this eight hour law Is that its
application under certain emergencies
becomes exceedingly oppressive and
| there Is a great temptation to subor-
| dinate officials to evade it
| think that it would be wiser to
allow the president by executive order
| to declare an emergency in special in.
stances in which the limitation might
not apply and in such cases to permit
| the payment by the government OF
| extra compensation for the time work
| ed each day in excess of eight hours
I may add that my suggestions In re.
spect to this legislation have the full
concurrence Of the commissioner OF
| labor.
Worl<msn's Compensation.
In view Of the keen. widespread In
/ terest now felt In the United States
| In a system of compensation for In.
dustrial accidents to supplant our pres.
ent thoroughly unsatisfactory system
of employers liability Ia subject the
| Importance Of which congress has al.