The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-12-06
Continued From Page Fivc.)

the District Of Columbia, or by any
contractor or sub-contractor on any
OF the public works Of the United
States and of the said District OF Col,
umbia is hereby restricted to -eieht
hours In any one calendar day, and
1t shall be unlawful. etc, etc.
This Inv has been construed to linn.
IL the application OF the requirement
to those who are directly employed
by the government or to those who
are employed upon public works stu
ated upon land owned by the United
States This construction prevented
It's application to government battle
ships and other vessels built IN pri-
yate shIp-yards and TO heavy guns and
armor 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 con-
tract with the United States In the
employ of the contractor or any sub
contractor shall be required or permit
ted To work more than eight hours
a day In any one calendar day.
II seems to me from the past history
that the government has been commit
ted to a policy OF encouraging the
limitation of the days work TO eight
hours In all works oor construction
initiated by Itself, and IL seems to me
illogical 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 q considerable period. so
that the private manufacturer may au@
lust himself and his establishment to
the special terms Of employment that
he must make with his workmen ior
this particular Job. To require, now
ever. that every small contract OF
manufacture entered into by the gov
ernment should he carried out by the
contractor with men working at eight
hours would be to impose an lntoler
able burden upon the government by
limiting its sources Of supply and eX"
cluding altogether the great majority
OF those who would otherwise compete
for its business
The proposed act recognizes this in
the exceptions which 1t makes to con-
tracts.
ter for the transmission of intelli-
gence and for such materials or ar
ticles as may usually be bought in the
open market whether made TO conform
to particular specifications or not. or
for the purchase of supply by the gov
conform TO particular specifications or
not"
recommend that instead Of enact
ing the proposed bin, the meaning oil
which is not clear and definite ana
might be given a construction en-
barrasslne 10 the public interest. the
present act be enlarged by providing
that public works shall be construed
to include not only buildings and work
upon public ground. but also ships,
armor and large guns when made lii
private yards or factories.
One of the great difficulties in en-
forcing this eight-hour law is that It's
application under certain emergencies
become exceedingly oppressive and
mate officials 20 evade IT. | think that
il would be wiser to allow the presi
dent. by executive order, TO declare an
emergency In special instances in
which the limitation might not apply
and, In such cases, to permit the pay.
ment by the government of extra com.
Densation for the time worked each
day in excess OF eight hours may
add that my suggestions in respect
10 this legislation have the full con.
currence Of the commissioner OF la
hor