Semi-weekly herald., 1916-12-07
PRESIDENT DELIVERS
MESSAGE To CONGRESS

( among them'being DR.. Caroline Baker
of Colorado Springs.
The Presidents message follows
Presidents Message In Full
Gentlemen of the Congress-:
In fulfilling at this time the duty
laid upon me by the Constitution oi
communicating to you from time tc
time information of the state of the
Union and recommending to you con
sideration such legislative measures
as may be judged necessary and ex-
pedient l shall continue the prac-
tice, which I hope has been accept.
able to you, of leaving to the re-
ports of the several heads of the
executive departments the elabora.
tion of the detailed needs of the
public service and confine myself tc
those matters of more general pub
lie policy with which it seems neces
sary and feasible to deal at the pres,
ent session of the Congress.
realize the limitations of tim,
under which you will necessarily a,
at this session and shall make my
suggestions as few as possible; bu'
there were some things left undone
at the last session which there vii
now be time to complete and which
it seems necessary in the interest OF
the public to do at once.
1
| In the first place, it seems to me
imperatively necessary that the earl
.est possible consideration and actio
should be accorded the remaining
measures of the programme of settle
ment and regulation which l had o.
casion to recommend to you at tn,
,lose of your last session in view O
the public dangers disclosed by III
unaccommodated difficulties which
then existed, and which still unhap
PLY continue to exist, between the
railroads of the country and their
locomotive engineers, conductors
and trainmen.
| ] then recommended:
| First, immediate provision for the
enlargement and administrative re
organization of the Interstate Com
merce Commission along the lines
embodied in the bill recently passel
oy the House Of Representatives an,
how awaiting action by the Senate
N order that the Commission may b.
| nhIa fo lan1 ,.,tfh fha
and various duties now devolving up
IN 1t with promptness and mean
1f action, practically impossible.
Second, the establishment of u.
eight-hour day as the legal basi
alike of work and of wages in TIL
employment of all railway emplye,
Who are actually engaged in the WORK
)f operating trains in interstate
transportation.
Third, the authorization of the ap
)ointment by the President of =.
small body Of men to observe til
actual results in experience of tn.
ldoption of the eight-hour day il
,ailway transportation alike for tn,
nen and for the railroads.
Fourth, explicit approval by the
congress of the consideration by Oh,
interstate Commerce Commission OF
IN increase of freight rates to meet
'uch additional expenditures b, In,
ai'roads as may have been rendered
Necessary by the adoption of the
,ight-hour day and which have moi
)een offset by administrative read
,ustments and economies, should thI
acts disclosed justify the increase
Fifth, an amendment for the exist
ing federal statute which provide
or the mediation, conciliation, am
arbitration Of such controversies n,
he present by adding to it provis
on that, in case the methods of ac
;ommodation now provided foi
should fall, full public investigation
If the merits of every such disput'
hall be instituted and completed be
ore a strike or lockout may lawful
y be attempted.
And, sixth, the Judgement in the
tands of the Executive of the powe,
n case of military necessity, to tax,
ontrol Of such portions and sucl
roling stock of the railways, of the
country as may be required for mil
tary use and to operate them for
military purposes, with authority to
raft into the military service of the
United States such train crews and
administrative officials as the cir.
,umstances require for their safe
md efficient use.
The second and third of these roc.