The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-12-05

I "And, sixth, the Judgement in tn,
hands Of the Executive Of the power
| in case Of military necessity, to TAX,
control Of such portions and sucl
rolling stock Of the railways Of thu
country as may be required for mill
| tary use and to operate them for mill
/ tary purposes, with authority tt
draft into the military service of thu
United States fsuch train crews an6
administrative officials as the circum
stances require for their safe and eff.
.cient use. x
1.-THE second and third of these
Recommendations the Congress- I'm
mediately acted on: it established the
eight-hour day as the legal basis OF
work and wages in train service and
it authorized the appointment of 9
commission to observe and report up
on the practical results, deeming these
the measures most Immediately need
| ed; but 1t postponed action upon the
other suggestions until an opportun-
ity should be offered for more de-
1iberate consideration Of them. The
fourth recommendation do not deem
1t necessary to renew. The power OF
the Interstate Commerce Commission
/ to grant an increase Of rates on the
ground referred to is indisputably
clear and a Recommendation by the
Congress with regard to such a matter
might seem to draw in question the
scope of the Commissions authority
or its inclination to do justice when
there is no reason to doubt either.
THE other suggestions-the in
crease in the Interstate Commerce
Commissions membership and in its
facilities for performing its manifold
duties, the provision for full public
investigation and assessment Of in
dustrial disputes, and the grant to the
Executive of the power to control and
operate the railways when necessary
In time of war or other like public ne
cessity-I now very earnestly renew.
1.-THE necessity for such legislation
is manifest and pressing, Those who
have entrusted me with the respon-
sibility and duty Of serving and safe
guarding them in such matters would
find it hard, believe, to excuse a
failure to act upon these grave mat
tiers or any unnecessary postponement
of action upon them.
''Not only does the Interstate Com
merce Commission now find it prac-
tically impossible, with its present
form it's great functions promptly and
thoroughly but it is not unlikely that
it may presently be found advisable
to add to its duties still others equally
heavy and exacting. 1t must first be
perfected as an administrative instru-
llent
1.-The country cannot and should not
consent to remain any longer expos
ed to profound Industrial disturbances
for lack of additional means of ar
bitration and Cancellation which the
Congress can easily and promptly sup
ply And all will agree that there
must be no doubt as to the power OF
the executive to make immediate and
uninterrupted use Of the railroads for
the conce 1tration of the military
forces OF the nation wherever they
are needed and whenever they are
needed.
This is a program Of regulation,
prevention, and administrative eff
cheney which argues it's own case in
the mere statement Of it. With re-
gard to one Of its items, the increase
in the efficiency Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission, the House of
Representatives has already acted;
its action needs only the concurrence
of the Senate.
Il would hesitate to recommend,
and I dare say the Congress would
hesitate to act upon the suggestion
should make it, that any man in any
occupation should oe obliged by law
to continue in an en1plovment which