The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-09-05
READ 1T FIRST IN THIS PAPER
CALLED OFF.

The strike has been called off,
and in our opinion, the greatest
calamity imaginable averted. No
one can hazard a guess as to the
consequences if it had not been
headed off. The suffering, for
want Of necessities Of life in some
quarters, can not be estimated,
had the trains stopped running.
Congress, through its wisdom
and courage no doubt did the
very best thing possible, under
the existing circumstances in pass
ing the eight-hour law, a copy
of which we reproduce here:
The Adamson Bill.
The text of the Adamson Bill, which
brotherhood leaders said tonight could
avert the nationwide strike if enact
ed by Saturday night, is as follows:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representative of the United States
of Amrica. in Congress assembled.
Section 1. That beginning December
1, 1916, eight hours shall in contracts
for labor and service be deemed a
days work and the measure or stan
dard of a day 5 work for the purpos,e
of reckoning the compensation for ser
vices of all employees who are now or
may hereafter be employed by any
railroad which is subject to the pro-
vision of the act of February l, 1887,
can act to regulate commerce. as
amended and who are now or may here
after be actually engaged in any capa-
city in the operation of trains used for
the transportation of persons or prop
erty on railroads from any state or
territory of the United States or the
District of Columbia to any other state
or territory of the United States or the
District of Columbia or from one place
in a territory to another place in the
same territory, or from any place in
the United States to an adjacent for
eign country, or from any place in the
try to any other place in the United
States.
Section 2. That the President shall
appoint a commission of three, whic!
shall observe the operation and effects
of the institution Of the eight hour
standard work day as above defined
and the facts and conditions affecting
the relations between such common
carriers and employees during a perio5
of not less than six months nor moro
than nine months, in the discretiof
of the commission shall report its find
ings to the President and Congress
That each member of the commission
created under the provisions of thi
act shall receive such compensation a
may be fixed by the President. TIL
sum of 1928, 900 or so much thereof a
may be necessary, be, and hereby is
appropriated out of any money in tn
United States this year not otherwis
appropriated to be Immediately avail
able until the close of the fiscal yea
ending June 80, 1919, for the necessar
and proper expenses incurred in cor
nectiOn with the work of such con
mission, including salaries, per diem
travelling expenses of members an
employees and rent, furniture, office fl.
lures and supplies, books, salaries an
ether necessary expenses, the same
be approved by the chairman of sat
commission and audited by the prop
accounting officers of the treasurer.
Section 3. That pending the repo
of the commission herein provided fc
and for a period of 80 days thereafte
the compensation of railway employ
subject to this act for standard
hour work day shall not be reduced +
low the present standard days wag
and for all necessary time in exec
of eight hours such employees shall
paid at rate not less than the pl
rata for such standard S-hour wo
day.
Section a. That any person violati
any provision Of this act shall be fin
not less than 800 and not more tn
$1,000, or imprisoned not to exec
one year, or both.
Our opinion is the law as c
acted only extends the time
the strike unless something me
is done. Has our national &C
eminent no power to make a
currence Of this strike situati
impossible? If it has the pow
it should exercise it at once.
no such power exists, then t
only thing left to do is, take
your hats to the labor unions a
say, "what do you want:'