Norwich bulletin., 1916-12-06

session or congress In the cndmDer O1 the house at noon today. It's text Text of Message.
 I Gentlemen of the Congress- 5 In fulfilling at this time the duty I laid upon me by heFConstitutton of communicating to you from time to time informa ton Of the state aof the Union and recommending to your con- sideration such legislative measures as may be judged necessary and expedi- ent shall continue the practice, which I hope has been acceptable to you, of leaving to the reports of the several | heads of the executive departments the ella aboration of the detailed needs of the | public service and confine myself to | those matters of more general pub | lie policy with which it seeuis neees- sary and feasible to deal at the present 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 were some things left undone at the last session which there will now be 1 time to complete and which it seems necessary in the interest of the pub | lie to do at once. Early Action Necessary In the first place, it seems to me inn i pe-atively necessary that the earliest possible consideration and action l should be accorded the remaining measures of the programme of settle ment and regulation which I had oc- l casion to reeormend to you Tt the | close of yours last session in view of i the public dangers disclosed by the
 unaccommodateA difficulties which 1 then existed. and. which still unhappi- | 1y continue to exist, between the rail-
 roads of the country and their loco
 motive engineers, conductors. and | trainmen..
 l Interstate Commerce
 I then recomnaerded:
 ;" First, !Tnnediate provision for the ! enlargement and administrative reor- ganization of the interstate Commerce 1 Commission along the lines embodied l in the bill recently passed by the ! House of Representatives and now l awaiting action by the Senate; ir or der that the Commission may be en- 1 abled to deal withsthe many great and various 6aesss noSA devolHins upon it
 with a pfofnptneag and tRoroughness
 which are, with it's, present coDstitu- l tion and means of action, practically
 impossible
 Second, the establishment of an
 eight day, as the, ,Ieeais basis alike | of work and 7of wages IiI4tfse employ ment of aH8syailway employees .sSvho | are actually engaged in the woFk of 1 operating trains in interstate tfans-, portation. g<as< < | Third, theaa uthorize tion Of thes ap- pointment by tie President Of a small
 body of men to. observe the actual re- l suits in experience of the adoption of the eight-houft Hay in railway tIans-
 portation allkSfPr the men and for the ! railroads.
 s9ess s Freight Rates
 Fourth, explicit approval by the
 Congress of 5the consideration by the Interstate Commerce Commission of an increase of. freight rates to meet
 such additional expenditures by the
 railroads as may have been rendered necessary bS- the adoption of the eight hour day and which have not been offset by administration adjustments and economics. should the facts dis closed justify the increase.
 Arbitration of Controversies
 Fifth. an amendment of the existing federal statute which provides for the 1 mediation, conciliation.. and arbitra-
 tion of such controversies as the pres
 ent by adding to it provision that, in case the methodS of accommodation now provided for should fail. full public investigation of the merits Of every such dispute shall be instituted
 and completed before a strike or lock-
 out may lawfully be attempted.
 Extension of Executive Power.
 And, sixth, the Judgement in the | hands of the Executive of the power, 1 in case of military necessity. to take control of such portions and such roll ing stock of the railways of the coun- | try as may be required for. military i use and to operate them for military purposes, with authority to draft into
 the military service of the United 1 States such train crews and admin | istrative officials as the circumstances l require for their safe and efficient use l Power of 1, C. C, Clear,
 The second and third of these rec- | concentrations the Congress immedi-
 lately acted on: it established the | eight hour day as the legal basis of work and wages in train service and it 1 authorized the appointment of 2. com mission to observe and report upon l the practical results. 'leeming these the 1 measures most immediately. needed; but it postponed action upon the oth- CT suggestions until, an opportunity | should be offered for a more adeliber-
 ate consideration. of them The fourth | recommendation I do not deem it | necessary to renew. The power of the l Interstate Commerce Commission to grant an increase. of rates on the ground referred to is indisputa bly clear and a recommendation by the Congress with regard to such a mat ter might seem to draw in question | the scope of the Commissions author ity or it's inclination to do justice when | 1 The other suggestions-t!le increase in the Interstate Commerce -Commjs- siou's membership and in its facilities for performing it's manifold duties, the provision for full public investigation and assessment of industrial disputes,
 and the grant to the Executive of the power to control and operate the rail- ways when necessary in time of war or other like public necessity;-I now
 very earnestly renew.
 | The necessity for such legislation is
 manifest and pressing. Those who
 have entrusted us with the resporsi-
 bility and duty of serving and safe guarding them in such matters would
 find it hard. believe, to excuse a fail ure to act upor, these grave matters or
 any unnecessary postponement of &C., tion upon them. Not only does the Interstate Com
 merce Commission now fad it prac- ttically impossible, with its present