The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-09-06
SIGNS EIGHT HOUR DAY BILL.
PRESIDENT p AFFIXES SIGNATU
IN PRIVATE CAR AT WASP
INGTON STATION.
Will Sign Document Again Tuesday
Removing All DOuvt Of Legality of
Act-HOw Long Peace Shall Reign
Depends ON Developments.

ohSiesS laSC week Dy the railroad
brOtherhoods as the price of calling
off, the nationwide strike ordered for
tomorrow. was signed by President
Wilson today in his private car at
the union station, where he stopped
on his way from Shadow Lawn, n.
j.. to Hodgenville. KY. That there
may be no question as to the legality
Of the measure al q result of it hav-
ing been signed on Sunday, the pres
ident will affiX his signature again
upon his return to Washington next
Tuesday.
How long peace shall reign as
result Of the bill apparently is de-
pendent upon developments in the
proposed move to test the constitl-
tionality of the act. Should the rail-
roads take no action but await the
beginning of an investigation OF the
workings of the eight hour day by
the special commission for which the
measure provides, the brotherhoods
will remain inactive. The employees
leaders declare, however, that should
the law be held Unconstitutional and
the railroads attempt to restore the
ten hour day on their lines, a strike
will follow promptly.
Brotherhood heads in a circular
Letter to their members today made
no comment on the measure as pass
ed. They merely pointed out that it
would not become effective until next
January 1 and that many things
might occur between now and then
which would change materially any
suggestions or comment they might
make.
Neae.ss she SrOthsrAood AAleadsrx
witnessed the signing Of the bill. They
had expected, according to tentative
arrangements made by Secretary Will
son last night, to be present, but the
president decided to attend to the
business at the railroad station ard
newspaper correspondents gave thcm
their first information about it. The
four pens used by the president in
signing the bill--One for each sylla-
bic of his name--will be presented
to the four brotherhood heads, A. B.
Garretson, w. G. Lee, w. s. Carter
and w. S. Stone, after being used for
resigning the bill Tuesday.
No ceremony attended the signing
today. 1t originally had been planned
that the president should go to the
White House, but this was changed
and instead Rudolph Forster, assist
ant secretary to the president, took
the bill to the train. Near the car
window group of trainmen in their
overalls paused in their work long
enough to watch the president write
his name. An engineer. passing on a
yard engine. celebrated the occasion
with several prolonged blasts of his
whistle.
While at the station the president
also signed several commissions and
executive papers and sent Secretary
Tumulty to the home of Majority
Leader Kern of the senate to urge
that the senate pass the Webb bill,
passed yesterday by the house, de-
signed to permit American firms to
utilize common selling agencies
abroad without violating the Sher-
man antitrust law.
Later the President and Mrs. VIII
son took an automobile ride about the
city. During their absence the pri-
vate car was attached to special
train carrying guests of the Lin
coin Farm association, bound for
Hodgenville to participate i'm the exer-
cises incident to the transfer of the
log cabin in which Abraham Lincoln
was born to the federal government
grounds tomorrow, at which time the
president will make an address.
1t developed today that the brother
hoods before being summoned to
Washington by President Wilson three
weeks ago had agreed to call a strike
effectivc August 20. The orders they
drafted were used when the strike
finally was set for Labor day After
having been printed in preparation
for the proposed strike on August 20
they were locked in vault in New
York. Decision week ago last Sat
urday to order a strike the next lay,
when the majority of the committee of
GAO were leaving for their homes. was
followed by hasty trip to New York
by two representatives of the brother
hoods The strike date, September 4,
was filled in with a rubber stamp. but
the original date of the call, August
IA, was not changed.