Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-09-20
HUGHES RESUMES ATTACK

Continued from Page ons)
be deemed days work and the meas
ure or standard of q days work for
the purpose Of reckoning compensation
for services Of all employees Of the sort
described"
Meaning Of Words
Mr.. Hughes quoted the Adamson law,
showing. he said, in plain English"
that the men affected are not required
to work fewer hours but are to have 10
hours pay for eight hours work, with
additional pay for additional hours
we have words which may seem to
mean one thing and in fact mean an
other" the candidate continued. The
phrase eight hour, day is apparently
used to tickle the public ear in order
to establish something quite different.
If 1t was proposed to give an eight
hour work day why were not work for
longer hours and all contracts for long
er service prohibited under penalty save
where emei Cencies exist?
1T Is said for this bill that it will have
tendency to procure an eight-hour day.
This Is extremely different but we are
dealing with what the bill actually enacts.
not with inconclusive suggestions Of ten
dencies toward something else which is
not enacted.
This bill must be judged by what It
provides, not by what it does not pro-
vide. 1t Is nothing more than a measure
to fix wages and as a measure to fix
wages it must be judged. If as such a
measure its passage was justified, it needs
no further excuse; if not, its passage is
not to be condoned by reference to an
other eight-hour work day which 1t does
not establish. Such reference can only
be regarded as subterfuge.
1--WE are, therefore, not concerned with
anything that is said of the judgment of
society with respect to an eight.hour
work day. There Is plainly no judgment
OF society upon the increase Of vases
this bill requires.
IF the asserted judgment of society
inspired it. why does the act apply only
to limited number of railroad men, rel
atively few? The obvious fact is that
there was demand by certain men for
an increase in their own wages, and the
administration, in advance Of investiga-
ton. surrendered to this demand"
Pointing out that the Adamson bill it.
self conceded that the subject was one
requiring investigation, Mr.. Hughes said
that II there was anything requiring care
ful inquiry 1t was "a proposition affect
ing readjustment. either Of rates or Of
expenses Of carriers" upon whose eff
cheney "the community depends" He
continued:
Must Ascertain Right
What is fair and right must be done.
but what Is fair and right must first be
ascertained. When railroads are required
to expend additional millions, this burden
must ultimately fall on the public. If
expenses are necessarily increased be-
yond what existing rates will stand, the
rates must be increased.
1T was proposed in substance by the
administration that increased rates
should be charged to shippers so far as
required to pay this increase of wages.
Assurance was given that no obstacle of
law would be suffered to stand in the
way Of railroads in increasing their rev.
enue to meet resulting increased expenses
so far as development Of their business
and Of their administrative efficiency did
not prove adequate to meet them.
"obstaeIe Of Law"
I'VE may pause to ask what Is the
significance Of this reference to 'obsta-
Gle of law The law provides for .rea-
sonable rates and an appropriate pro-
ceeding for fixing Of reasonable rates
by the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion. Were these provisions Of law the
obstacles Of law to which reference
was made? Were they to be overcome
II necessary to accomplish the desired
increase?
''It must be understood that the bur-
den of increased rates is passed on to
the public It necessarily affects host
Of activities, agricultural and industri-
al.
Increases Of wages for selected
classes of men on railroads might re-
suited in restrictions on great num-
ber of other workingmen. not only
those employed by railroads but on
those employed in industries through
out the country If the latter be re-
quired to operate under increased
transportation charges. Again what
becomes Of present adjustments and
business agreements relating to the
men whose services are involved in
this bill II wages are fixed by law in
this manner?
"Manifestly we have here an ex-
tremely intricate question of rates and
outlays. What was the manifest duty
Of the legislative, plainly to insist that
investigation should precede action
and that nothing should be yielded to
force. It was stated by the executive
in his address to Congress that the
matter had been agitated for more
than a year. Why then was 1t not in
vestigated? Could not the administra-
ton command all necessary machin-
cry for fair and thorough inquiry: Not
only did the administration fail to take
proper action on its own initiative,
but the business men Of the country
appealed in vain to the administration
for investigation. Their request won
no favorable action.
Time was allowed to run and then
came the surrender that shocked the
people throughout the land. Was the
scrfs ,,nforacaop9 yVhv waa If ner.