Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-10

I am not opposed to the principle Of
an eirht-hour workday. On the con-
trary, favor it. The general principle
of the eight-hour workday is that linn
iting labor to eight hours promotes
health happiness and efficiency. 1t not
only frees from excessive strain, but
gives opportunity for education, for en-
joyment, for the pleasant and profit
able resources of leisure. The whole
point is the limitation of hours of Ia
Dor, that a man shall work eight hours
and no longer. The Adamson Bill does
not provide that 1t is a mere pretence
to say that it does 1t does not limit
hours: it simply regulates pay. 1t is
wage bill.
Let us look at the text Of the Act. 1t
provides that eight hours shall, in
contracts for labor and service, be
deemed a days work and the measure
or standard Of days work for the
purpose of reckoning the compensation
for services of the employees men
toned. That is the only purpoSe.-the
purpose of reckoning compensation
There is no limit to hours of work.
L
ing the report of the Commission and
for thirty days thereafter the COM
pensation of railway employees sub
ject to this Act for a standard eight
hour workday shall not be reduced be-
low the present standard days wage,
and for all necessary time in excess or
eight hours such employees shall be
paid at a rate not less than a pro rata
rate for such standard eight-hour
workday" There is no fixing of hours
of work; there Is no prohibition Of
working more than eight hours The
reference to eight hours is solely to fix
the wage scale. AS Senator Underwood
said in the course of the debate in the
Senate, replying to another Senator:
IF the Senator would go and consult
with any of the gentlemen who repre-
sert the employees, and who have been
contending here in this matter, they
would tell him candidly, as they told
me. that the question is a question of
wage; that they are not contending for
an eight hour day. that a man shall
want that"
Plainly. whether there should be at
this time an eight-hour workday in
particular employment depends on the
conditions of that employment. Some
employments are readily adjusted to-
it and others are not. Railroads are
not like ordinary industries. 1t was
not suggested that it was practicable
to put in a true eight-hour day on rail-
roads, Indeed. the contrary was con-
coded Railroad runs are made to d.
vision points. Men select their homes
accordingly The time of actual SER
vice may be more or less than eight
hours This has not been changed; 1t
was not intended that it should be
changed. The change is in the wage
scale, not in the hours Of labor. Rail-
road wage schedules were based on
hours ard miles; that is, 10 hours and
100 miles. If man made his 100 miles
in less than 10 hours, that is. In four
hours. he got a days pay. If it took
him II hours, for example, he got
days pay and two hours overtime.
Now, the change was not to limit or
alter the hours of labor. but to pay on
the basis OF eight hours instead Of ten
hours. 1t is a mere increase or wages
by fixing different basis for calculat-
ing wages Service over eight hours is
not prohibited. 1t Is not penalized. No
PENALTY is provided for permitting any
one to work longer time On the con-
trary; such work is evidently contem-
plated The railroad runs must be
completed in any case. and. under this
bill, all service over eight hours Is SIM
ply 20 be paid for pro rata. The bill
says that for all necessary time In
excess OF eight hours such employees
shall be paid at q rate not less than the
pro rata rate for such standard eight
hour workday." There is no increased
rate for additional hours.
It is. therefore. wholly mislead ding to
refer to this bill as an eight-hour BILL