Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-06

question of trust or combination In the
manufacture Of slumber. subject to be
dealt with later. The commissioner does
find, however, q condition in the owner
ship of the standing timber of the United
States. other than the government tim
Der, that calls for serious attention. The
direct investigation made by the commits
sioner covered an area which contains 50
per cent of the privately owned timber OF
the country His report shows that one-
half of the timber in this area Is owned
by 200 individuals and corporations; that
IA per cent is owned by corporations,
and that there is very extensive inter-
ownership of stock, as well as other cir
cumstances, all pointing to friendly rela-
tons among those who own majority
Of this timber, relationship whicn
might lead to a combination for the main
tenance of a price that would be very
detrimental to the public interest, and
would create the necessity of removing
all tariff obstacles to the free importa-
tons Of lumber from other countries.
Bureau Of Fisheries.
port the satisfactory progress which Is
being made in respect to the preservation
of the seals of the Pribiloff islands. Very
active steps are being taken by the De-
partment Of State to secure an arrange
ment which shall protect the Pribilon
herd from the losses due to pelagtc seal
ing. Meantime the government has Sc
cured seal pelts Of the bachelor seals
(the killing of which does not interfere
with the maintenance of the herd), from
the sale of which next month it Is ex-
pected to realize about $4,000, sum
largely in excess Of the rental paid by
the lessee Of the government under the
previous contract.
The coast and geodetic survey has been
engaged In surveying the coasts of the
Philippine archipelago. This is q heavy
work. because Of the extended character
Of the coast line in those islands. but l
am glad to note that about half OF the
needed survey has been completed. So
large a part Of the coast line of the archi-
pelago has been unsurveyed as to make
navigation In the neighborhood OF num-
Der OF the islands, and especially on the
east side, particularly dangerous:
Bureau Of Labor.
The commissioner of labor has been
actively engaged in composing the DIFF
ferences between employers and en-
ployes engaged In interstate transporta-
ton, under the Erdman act, Jointly with
the chairman of the interstate commerce
commission. I cannot speak in too high
terms Of the success of these two on
GERS In Cancellation and settlement of
controversies which, but for their inter-
position, would have resulted disastrously
to all interests.
invite attention to the very serious
injury caused to all those who are en-
gagged in the manufacture OF PHOSPHORUS
matches. The diseases incident to this
are frightful. and as matches can be
made from other materials entirely in
nocuous, believe that the injurious man
ufacture could be discouraged and ought
to be discouraged by the imposition Of a
heavy federal tax. / recommend the
adoption Of this method Of stamping out
a very serious abuse.
The Eight-Hour Law.
Since 1868 1t has been the declared
purpose of this government to favor
the movement for an eight-hour day
by q 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
ment. and. though President Grant by
q proclamation twice attempted to give
1t his sanction and to require the Off
GERS Of the government to carry it out,
the purpose of the trainers of the law
was ultimately defeated by 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 pro-
day of longer hours than eight. There
after, in 1892, the present eight-hour
law was passed, which provides that
the services and employment of all Ia
borers and mechanics who are now or
may hereafter be employed by the
the District of Columbia or by any
contractor or subcontractor 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. 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.
The construction prevented it's appli-
cation to government battleships and
other vessels built in private ship
yards and to heavy guns and armor
plate contracted for and made at pri-
vate establishments.
The proposed act provides that no
laborer or mechanic doing any part of
the WORK contemplated by 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 COM
mitted to q policy of encouraging the
limitation Of the days work to eight
hours in all works OF construction ini-
tiated by itself. and 1T seems to me
illogical to maintain a difference be-
tween government work done on gov
eminent soil and government work
done in q 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 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 contract of manufac-
ture entered into by the government
should be carried out by the contractor
with men working at eight hours
would be to impose an intolerable bur-
den upon the government by limiting
its sources Of supply and excluding al
together .Ae great majority Of those
who would otherwise compete for Its
business.
The proposed act recognizes this in