The Washington herald., 1916-09-20
HUGHES CALLS 8-HOUR
LAW POLITICAL SCHEME
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

demand by the administration Tor such
legislation as the price of peace" as
"humiliating spectacle" and not only
"a serious misuse of official power
but "a deplorable abdication of moral
authority"
Asserting his belief in the eight-hour
day, Hughes expressed his belief that
under the Adamson act only wages are
fixed and no effort is made to prohibit
the employer from working his employees
for a longer period,
The phrase "eight-hOur day." he said.
is used apparently only ito tickle the
public ear"
Quoting the President as telling Con-
gress the question had been sgitated
for over a year. Hughes demanded to
know, then, why it had not been investi-
gated before.
why was 1t permitted to arise when
the administration was forewarned?" he
demanded.
He staked his Judgment on the assertion
that had the President, instead of de-
manding the eight-hour law, asked Con-
gress for immediate authority to investi-
gate the problem, force OF public opinion
would have prevented the strike.
At the Peoria meeting, answering Pres
ident Wilson in detail, Hughes said of
Democracy's claim to have clarified the
antitrust law:
What they have done is to IeglsIate
vague phrases, adding uncertainty to the
law"
The shipping bill he denounced as a
menace to the shipping industry of the
country"
Hits Federal Trade Law.
Aiding business by building upon a
Republican foundation" was his charac-
terization of the Federal reserve law
THE Wilson child labor law" he cried,
oh oh In he
country. and there remain 1,S5OOO0 chill
dren outside of its provisions still to be
cared for.
If our opponents were genuinely
devoted to the interests of children
they could act in the States under
their control. where the most deplor-
able conditions still exist. and there
would no longer be a problem OF child
labor in the United States"
Finally, he struck out on a line which
his audiences interpreted as meaning
a pledge to call England to account
for interference with American COM
merCe.
american lives have been saerI-
feed" he cried, american property
destroyed and American commerce in
terrupted. We have not had protec-
tion for American rights. We pro-
pose that American rights with respect
to life, property and commerce shall
be protected as regards every nation
on earth"
rs this the Hughes who spoke in
Chicago at the beginning of the West
ern trip" a Republican leader asked
on the platform during the Peoria
meeting.
Flashes His Old Form.
The candidate suddenly woke up to-
day. Under the goad of the desperate
fight his party faces in the Middle
West. he flashed the form OF his old
campaigning days. His Peoria speech
was a model of definite. concrete cam
paign oratory. His attack on the Adam
son act tonight had vigOr. force and
hre
All through the State the candidate has
been accompanied by such able cam
paigners as A. T Hert, in charge OF
Western headquarters; Medill McCor-
mick, Mayor Thompson, of Chicago, and
Harold L. Ickes, representing the Pro-
gressives.
Ickes reports the Progressives to he
90 per cent in line for Hughes. 70 indi-
cate the harmony which has Oeen brought
about, he and Mayor Thompson came
down to Peoria today in the same car
and shook hands In the presence of the
International News Service correspond
ent. to whom they had denounced each
other only a month ago.
Uncle Joe Cannon turned up at Pc
oria. When Hughes had concluded speak
ing there, the old war horse slapped him
soundIy on the back.
"A damn good speech" he cried.
All three meetings today were good.
The crowds came out. they got into quick
touch with the candidate, and solid cheers
were once more heard In the land.
But Hughes has set a tremendous pace
for himself with the days achievements.
Wisconsin lies ahead tomorrow. with a
Wind-up meeting in Milwaukee tomorrow
night and after that Indiana.
Great interest centers In the Milwau-
kee meeting and the candidates handling
of the hyphenate situation.