United labor bulletin., 1911-12-28
THE GOVERNMENT
EIGnT.H0UR BILL
National House Unanimously
Passes Labor's Shorter
Work Day Measure.

On Dec. IA, Chairman Wilson (coai
miner) of the labor committee, called up
on the floor of the house, H. r. 9o61, the
Hughes eisht-hour bill. After short dis.
cussion and the adding of few minor
amendments the bill passed unanimous
Iy. The bill, as passed, is as follows:
BE it enacted by the senate and house
OF representatives of the United States
OF America in congress assembled, That
every contract hereafter made to which
the United States, any territory, or the
District of Columbia is a party, and
every such contract made for or on be-
half of the United States, or any terri
tory or said district which may require
or involve the employment of laborers
or mechanics shall contain a provision
that no laborer or mechanic doing any
part of the work contemplated by the
contract, in the employ of the contractor
or any sub-contractor contracting for any
part of said work contemplated, shall be
required or permitted to work more than
eight hours in any one calendar day
upon such work; and every such con
tract shall stipulate penalty for each
violation of such provision in such con-
tract OF five dollars for each laborer or
mechanic for every calendar day in
which he shall be required or permitted
to labor more than eight hours upon
work to be performed under any such
contract, or to aid in enforcing the full
fillment thereof, shall, upon observation
or investigation, forthwith report to the
proper officer OF the United States. or
OF any territory, or of the District of
Columbia, all violations of the provisions
of this act directed to be made in every
such contract, together with the name
of each laborer or mechanic who has
been required or permitted to labor in
violation of such stipulation and the day
oil such violation, and the amount of the
penalties imposed according to the stip-
ulation in any such contract shall be di-
rected to be withheld for the use and
benefit of the United States, the District
OF Columbia, or the territory contracting
by the officer or person whose duty 1t
shall be to approve the payment of the
moneys due under such contract.
whether the violation of the provisions
OF such contract is by the contractor or
any sub-contractor. Any contractor or
sub-contractor aggrieved by the with
holding OF any penalty as hereinbefore
provided shall have the right within six
months thereafter to appeal to the head
of the department making the contract
on behalf of the United States or the
territory and in the case of a contract
made by the District of Columbia to the
commission thereof who shall have
power TO review the action imposing the
penalty and in all such appeals from
such final order whereby a contractor or
sub-contractor may be aggreved by the
imposition OF the penalty hereinbefore
provided such contractor or sub-con-
tractor may within six months there
after file claim in the court of claims.
which shall have jurisdiction to hear and
decide the matter in like manner as in
other cases before said court
Sec. .. That nothing in this act shall
apply to contracts for transportation by
land or water. or for the transmission
of Intelligence, or for such materials or
articles as may usually be bought in
open market, except armor and armor
plate whether made to conform to par
ticular specifications or not or for the
purchase OF supplies by the government,
whether manufactured TO conform to
particular specifications or not; Pro
yided, That all classes of work which
have been, are now, or may hereafter
be performed by the government shall,
when done by contract for or on behalf
of the United States, any territory, or
said district by individuals, firms or cor
porations, be performed in accordance
with the terms and provisions of this
act The president, by executive order.
may waive the provisions and stipula-
tions in this act as to any speclhc con
tract or contracts during time OF war or
a time when war is imminent. No pen
aIties shall be imposed for any violation
of such provision in such contract due
to any emergency caused by fire, famine
or flood, by danger to life or to property,
or by other extraordinary event or con
dition on account of which the president
shall subsequently declare the violation
10 have been justifiable. Nothing in this
act shall be construed to repeal or mod
ify the act entitled AN act relating to
the limitation of the hours of daily serv-
ice OF Iaborers and mechanics employed
on the public works of the United States
and of the District of Columbia, being
chapter three hundred and fifty-two of
the laws of the fifty-second congress, ap-
proved August 1st, 1892. or to apply TO
work done under contracts made prior