The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-12-08
CONGRESS HEARS
WILSON'S MESSAGE
Presidents Address to Both
Houses Is Quite Short.
PAIL TROUBLES COME FIRST
Further Legislation on That Line ls
Strongly Recommended-BiII Civ
ing Foreign Commerce Promo
ters Free Hand Necessary.

Washington, Dec. 5.-President Will |
son today delivered his message to
both houses of congress in joint ses-
sion. The address was as follows:
Gentlemen Of the Congress:
In fulfilling at this time the duty laid
upon me by the Constitution of COM
municating to you from time to time
information Of the state of the Union
and recommending to your cOnsidera-
tiOn such legislative measures as may
he judged necessary and eXpedient I
shall continue the practice, which /
hope has been acceptable to you, of
leaving to the reports of the several
heads of the executive departments the
elaboration of the detailed needs of
the public service and confine myself
10 those matters of more general pub
lie policy with which it seems neces-
Sary and feasible to deal at the pres
ent session of the congress.
I realize the limitations Of time un-
der which you will necessarily act at
this session and shall make my sug-
gestions as few as possible; but there
We're some things left undone at the
last session which there will now be
time to complete and which it seems
necessary in the interest of the public
to do at once.
In the first place. it seems to me i'm
peratively necessary that the earliest
possible consideration and action
should be accorded the remaining
measures of the program of settle
ment and regulation which had occa-
sion to recommend to you at the close
of your last session in view Of the pub
lie dangers disclosed by the unaccom-
modated difficulties which then existed,
and which still unhappily continue to
exist, between the railroads of the
country and their locomotive engineers
conductors, and trainmen.
Railway Troubles First.
| then recommended:
First, immediate provision for the
enlargement and administrative reor
ganization of the interstate commerce
commission along the lines embodied
in the bill recently passed by the house
of representatives and now awaiting
action by the senate; in order that th'
commission may be enabled to dea
with the many great and various dutie
now devolving upon it with prompt
ness and thoroughness which are. wit
its present constitution and means o
action. practically impossible.
Second, the establishment of a
eight-hour day as the legal basis alik
of work and of wages in the employ
ment of all railway employees who ar
actually engaged in the work Of opel
ating trains in interstate transports
ton.
Third, the authorization of the al
pointment by the president of a sma
body of men to observe the actual r
suits in experience of the adoption
the eight-hOur day in railway tran
portation alike for the men and f,
the railroads.
Fourth, explicit approval by the co
gress of the consideration by the /
terState commerce commission of
increase of freight rates to meet SUI
additional expenditures by the ra
roads as may have been rendered ne
essary by the adoption Of the eigf
hour day and which have not been o
set by administrative readjustmer
and economies. should the facts d
closed justify the increase.
Fifth, an amendment of the exist
federal statute which provides for
mediation, Cancellation, and arbitrati
of such controversies as the prese
by adding to it provision that, in ca
the methods of accommodation NJ
provided for should fail, a full pub
investigation of the merits of eve
such dispute shall be instituted a
completed before a strike or locke
may lawfully be attempted.
And, sixth, the lodgment in
hands of the executive of the pow
in case of military necessity. to tt
control of such portions and such r
ing stock of the railroads Of the co
try as may be required for milit
use and to operate them for milit
purposes with authority to draft /
the military service of the Uni
States such train crews and admi
trative officials as the circumstan
require for their safe and efficient
Renews His Recommendations.
The second and third Of these
concentrations the congress immed1
ly acted on: it established the Ell
hour day as the legal basis of W
and wages in train service and it
thorized the appointment of
mission to observe and report upon
practical results, deeming these
measures most Immediately neet
but it postponed action upon the O
suggestions until an opportunity sh'
be offered for a more deliberate
sideration of them. The fourth
Ommendation l do not deem it ne
sary to renew. The power of the
terstate commerce commission to g
an increase Of rates on the grOun(
ferred to is indisputably clear al
recommendation by the congress
regard tc such q matter might see
draw in question the scope of the
missions authority or it's inclinatit