The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-11-17
ADAMSON BILL TO
Be PUT TO TEST
NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW JUST
WHAT THE NEW LAW
REALLY u.
IS NOT 8-HOUR MEASURE
Comparison of Passenger Rates In
United States And Eng
land.

Richmond, Va, Nov. 11.-That no
one, whether Congressman, railroad
official, labor leader or anybody else
knows Just what the law means was
the statement of Frank Trumbull be
fore the Economic Club, of Portland.
Me-, in an address recently made be-
fore that body in which Mr.. Trumbull
discussing certain phases of the rail
road situation, especially with rela
ton to the so-called eight-hour
law.
MIR. Trumbull is not only recog
nized authority upon economic ques-
tions, but is chairman of the Rail-
way Executives Advisory Committee
and also chairman of the Board of
Directors of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway Company. Coming from
such source. his statements are par
ticular interest and value.
Sooner or later, said Mr.. Trum
bull, the so-called eight-hour law will
undoubtedly be tested in the courts
on the orderly way provided by our
form of government. If the law is
not constitutional. it is, of course,
not a law at all and various rail-
roads, investors, employees, shippers
and the travelling public would be
regulated to the position which exist
ed before. If the law is found to be
constitutional it will still have to be
interpreted in several particulars so
that it may he intelligently obeyed.
Even when this is done there opens
up a long list of possibilities, both
for investors and employees and for
the rest of the one hundred million
people OF this country.
Not Eight-Hour Law.
The Adamson act is in fact not an |
eight-hour law at all; that is to say, |
there is not line in it restricting !
men to eight hours continuous en- !
pIoyment 1t is contended that the |
eight-hour principle has been sane |
toned by the judgment of society, |
but this is not supported by general |
legislation which is the mode of ex-
pressions OF the Judgment of socie-
ty'' in vogue under our form of gov
eminent. In fact, the Government |
does. not even limit the railway pos
TAI clerks to sixteen hours continuous
service as it has long since done for
railway trainmen. If the law is
valid. Congress has entered upon n
new field fall of interesting POSSIBLE
tiles, that is the regulation of wages.
If Congress has the power to pro-
hibit a decrease i'll wages, has IT the
power to prohibit increases? If it
has the power to regulate wages
must the wages be just and reason
abTe-similar to the provision in re-
gard co the regulation of rates-and'
II so, shall Congress determine what
are Just and reasonable wages for all
railway employees instead of for train
men only? Will Congress attempt
TO regulate all these things directly
or thru a commission? If thru
commission, will its findings be man
datory alike upon the employees and
upon the companies? Is railway
capital enlisted" in the public ser
vie and will railway employees also
he "enlisted?" II Congress, or a
commission. raises all railway wages
Will il raise the rates simultaneously
or will investors have to wait TOT te-
diaus hearings before various COM
missions?
Each State Must Act.
Whatever may be the disposition
NJ the burning question of the mo-
rent. that is. the so-called eight
hour day, one thing at least Is becom-
ing more and more evident; namely
that the Federal Government alone
must control in some way all OF the
affairs of the railroads. Under Gov
ernment ownership the people wouiu
not for moment tolerate the inirus-
am Of forty-oight separate State pol
icies. Each State must for its own
protection have some tribunal act Tor
the general interest. Our State lines
are not the boundaries of forty-eight
separate countries, but we are one
nation of ono hundred million people
our language and our interests are
one and mono OF MS can be patriotic
IN any better way than to promote
national unity.
MIR. Trumbull gave some interest
ing statements as 10 passenger rates
an wages in England as compared
with this country. In England the
Hrst-class passenger rate is cents
a mile, the third-class rate is 2 cents
.,,flo Cinca the war hogan the