Denver labor bulletin., 1916-11-04


of an art critic, and don't care who
arrangements. Labor, and labor only,
was in charged
81 have seen pathetic sight" said
the secretary when he was warmed 10
his subject. at is Candidate Hughes
meandering over the country and un-
able to find an issue. He only criti-
icises. He does not teach, or offer So
luton.
"But Hughes believed that he had
found nm issue in the Adamson eight
hour law. He declared, with vast indig-
nation. that Wilson had surrendered TO
the railroad brotherhood. And this was
different. OF course, Mr.. Hughes could
remember instances where the hepuplio'
ans. notably the man who spoke Tor hun
here Tuesday night, had surrendered TO
tbc interests: but never had the Repub-
licans surrendered to the workers. oh'
no!
Adamson Eight-Hour Law.
President Wilson knew that II
strike came. every mining, mnnuiaetur-
ing and commercial establishment would
close The farmers would lose their
crops. the cities would face starvation.
So he called on the bureau OF labor Tor
reports OF Investigations covering many
wears. Hughes did not know that such
Investigations had ever been made. Ano
Wilson found out that this government
has long recognized its right to limit
the hours of labor II had done 50 with
its own employees and had also done ="
in tho case OF certain railroad men Six
teen hours had been the limitation, and
there had been n fixed limit of nine
hours for railroad telegraphers
.'Besidcs. government contractors. un-
der the law, could only work their men
eight hours. -
@There was nothing so strange in the
Adamson law. The eight hour day has
come to be an established principle and
established principles are things not to
be arbitrated.
"When il came to question OF wages,
the railroad men did not want overtime.
They only wanted to work eight hours.
But if they worked longer than that
they demanded price and half for the
overtime, This was asked. not for tho
increase. hut to prevent the roads from
working them longer than the full day.
And that matter OF overtime has been
left to future Investigations, and it will
be settled amicably.
Hasn't Lost Anything.
"Thc Republicans say the Adnmson
bill will not stand the test of the courts,
but the courts have upheld similar
bills"
Here the secretary was interrupted by
n shout: Hughes isn't on the bench,
now"
NO" replied the speaker, "and I don't
think the country has lost anything thru
that fact. either"
He declared that II President Wilson
had declined to proceed in the railroad
strike controversy he would simply have
been surrendering to the demands of the
interests. Seventy Republicans voted
for the Adamson bill" he cried, "and
when Mr.. Hughes attacks that law, he
not only assails the workingmen of this
country, but n large element Of his own
party"
Then he went into n full explanatio
of the currency laws passed under Will
son, telling how they affected labor. He
referred to the panic of 1907, telling how
he had been national treasurer of the
United Mine Workers of America and
how million of the funds of that or
pnnization were tied up in Indiannp polls
banks, with only 800 a day being do
out, and that in clearing house certifi.
Gates He told how the large employers
of the country could get nothing but
clearing house certificates to pay EN-
ployes, and how those employees. not hav-
ing faith in the certificates, refused TO
work longer and went on incipient strike.
These things, he said, could never return
under the currency system established
by the Democrats.
Who's Entitled to Credit2
In dwelling on the child labor law he
said:
"Mr. Beveridge of Indiana says that
no credit should go to Democrats for the
child labor law. He declares he intro
duced such law long ago in the senate.
But the Democrats enacted il into law.
Beveridge's influence could not put it
over, even tho he was mentioned as
possible candidate for the presidency.
Who do you think ought to have the
creditf'
On the subject of foreign relations he
exclaimed:
"Critics say our dignity has been i'm.
paired. There are l0O,OOO.00O Americans;
there are IO0,O0O,O00 units to make up
this country. ask any of those units
If his dignity has been impaired because
we are not slaughtering men and sending
our own to slaughter Uncle Sam still
stands triumphant; his dignity, his hon
or, his integrity, have not been impaired
to the slightest degree. We nrc peace
full, prosperous, respected everywhere
In closing he asked for votes for the
Democratic state ticket and for con-
gressmen who would uphold the presi-
dents policies.