The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-10-18
Take Their Stand In the
Wilson Ranks
ON ACCOUNT OF AOAMsON LAW
What Nine Republicans and Three
Progressives Have To u
Say On Subject.
STRONG WORDS APTLY SPOKEN

Princeton (Ind.) Daily Democrat o
October H.
Princeton, Ind, Oct. 10, 1916.
Is MIR. Hughes attack on tn,
eight-hour law justice to labor?
The eight-hour law as passed b,
Congress is not ALONE an effectua
means of overcoming many Difficult.
ties and hardships met by men in the
transportation departments of rail.
ways, but We wanted an eight-hour
work day without loss of the present
basic standard of pay, which, in or
der to acquire, hold and maintain,
has cost the laborers of our organi-
cations and those that now have it,
many a hard-earned dollar, and un-
told suffering and sacrifices in the
past, that would make the blood boil
in many of our latter-day workers
and citizens.
The other most important and
predominant feature OF our request
was, time and one-half for all over
time, which from fifty years Of aor-
ganized experience, is the only eff
fective method found to overcome
the working of men excessive hours.
This latter feature is by no means
waived by acceptance of the Adam
son Law, but is temporarily held up
for future consideration and in or
der to avoid a calamity to our coun-
try which We firmly believe, had it
come, that no supreme effort made
by labor in the past, to accomplish
their labor, would have in any man
ner compared with it; and now for
any man, regardless of his political
standing or otherwise and for no
other purpose than political aggran-
element, to deliberately accuse
President Wilson, Congress OR the
leaders of our labor organizations,
to be so selfish and unpatriotic as to
avert the threatened disaster to our
country for mere political purposes,
is nothing more or less than a GRIM
inal charge and certainly comes from
an enemy of labor.
If practical mems evidence is CIV
en- any consideration by those will
ing to hear it, the eighthour law in
its present form as passed by Con-
gress as the only means of averting
the threatened strike. means this:
If the railroads still insist on over
the men by working them
long and excessive hours, it will
mean more money to the present
forces. On the other hand, If the ex-
cessive hours or. overtime is elimi-
mated from the present force, as re-
quested by them, it will necessitate
surplus of men to perform these ex-
cessive hours which the present force
has had to perform, which of course,
will be an outlay of money to the
railroads. However, instead of this
money rolling into the Golfers of
New York or Wall Street, it will be
and spent in every ham
let of the United States.
Mr.. Hughes and the critics of our
present administration say il is no
law. We are willing &c
take the chance, call it what you |
may, though we have every reason /
any everyday evidence from politi- |
,al opponents. to most solemnly and !
firmly believe it will NOT be, if the !
present administration is not return
ed to power, so that they may sus-
tain and complete the legislation |
started, in order to redeem, not only |
the railroad laborers directly con-
cerned, but all laborers from the I
ientacles OF those who insist on long ,
hours for small wages, and if unor-
ganized labor must work for small !
wages, then by returning men TO
power in both National and State
legislatures, who have demonstrated
that they have shown an interest in
our welfare and intend to do more
by demanding shorter hours for all
laborers, If unhampered by Wall
street and their political agents. It I
Is certainly then our duty at this
time. even though We have never
done so before. to lay aside, tempo
rarily at least, party ties and support
the present administration that has
actually acted in our behalf and
shown an interest in our welfare.
The eight-hour work day is by no
means a recent or new issue. Many |
Of our labor organizations have long
enjoyed 1t. The organizations We
are members of We're instituted ST. |
or nearly so, about If |
ty years ago. Congress adopted an |
act in 1858 providing for an eight