New-York tribune., 1910-12-07

strued to include not only buildings and
work upon public ground. but also ships,
armor and large guns when manufactured
in private yards or factories.
One of the great difficulties IN enforcins
this efght-hour law is that It's application
under certain emergencies becomes eS-
ceedingly oppressive and there Is great
temptation to subordinate officials TO evade
II I think that IL would be wiser 20 allow
the President by executive order. to de-
clare an emergency IN special instances IN
which the limitation might not apply. and.
in such cases to permit the payment Dy
the government Of extra compensation tor
the time worked each day in excess OF
eight hours. 1 may add that my sugges-
tions in respect to this legislation have the
full concurrence Of the Commissioner or
Labor
Workrnen's Compensation.
| In view OF the keen. widespread interest
now felt in the United States in system
| of compensation for industrial accidents TO
supp,ant our present thoroughly unsatis-
factory system of employers liability ia
subject the Importance OF which Congress
has already recognized by the appointment
| Of a commission) I recommend that the
| International Congress on Industrial In
| s,irance be invited 10 hold It's meeting in
1918 in Washington and that an appropria-
ton of $4,000 be made to cover the neces-
! sary expenses of organizing and carrying
or the meeting
Bureau of immigration.
The immigration into this country is in
creasing each year. A large part OF II
comes through the immigrant station al
Ellis Island. in the city of New York An
examination of the station and the methods
pursued satisfies me that a difficult task is
there performed by the Commissioner and
his force, with common sense, the str1etest
fairness, and with the most earnest desire
to enforce the law equitab1y and r1ercifuliy.
! 1t has been proposed to enlarge the accom-
modatiOns 50 as to allow more Of the
! immigrants 10 come by that port 1 do moi
/ think It wise policy to do this. l have nc
| objection tom the contrary, / Teconlneno
| the construction of additional buildings
| for the purpose of facilitating a closer and
| more careful examination of each immi-
| grant as he comes in. but deprecate the
! enlargement of the buildings and Of the
| force for the purpose of permitting the eX-
| animation of more immigrants a day than
| are now examined. If it is understood that
| no more immigrants can De taken IN dl
/ New York than are now taken in, and the
| steamship companies thus are given a rea-
! son and a motive for transferring immi-
| grants to other ports, we can be confident
! that they will be better distributed through
/ the country. and that there will not be
| that congestion IN the city of New York
which does not make for the better condi-
J ton OF the immigrant or increase his use
| fulness a member OF this COM
munty. Everything which tends to SEND
! the immigrants West and South into rura
| life helps the country.
| I concur with the Secretary in his recon-
| mendations as to the amendments to the
! iululigra ton law in increasing the fine
! against the companies for violation OF the
regulations. and in giving greater power &c
! the Commissioner to enforce more care on
/ the part Of the steamship companies IN
accepting immigrants. The recnmmenda
/ tion of the Secretary IN which he urges
that the law may be amended so as to dis
| cours ge the separation of families is,
| think. good one.