Evening star., 1916-09-01

| Ol loudy IL IL was io.'iiA
night.
| The bill is entitled: ITO establish
the eight-hour standard workday IN IN
| terstate transportation. and Tor other
purposes
| 1t provides: Be it enacted by the
Senate and House of Representatives.
! of the United States of America III
Congress assembled, That beginning
January /, 1917. eight hours. IN con-
tracts for labor. be deemed daS
1 work and the measure or standard TOT
! the purpose of reckoning the coElpen-
satjon for services of all persons wao
are now or may hereafter be employed
| bv any common carrier by railroad SUI
icct to the provisions of the act OF
| February 4. 1887, entitled An act 10
| regulate commerce. as amended ana
| who are now or may hereafter be actu-
| ally engaged in the operation OF
trains used for the transportation OF
persons or property on railroads from
| any state or territory OF the ohlleu
states or the District of Columpla 10
Iany other state or territory OF the
United States or the District OF Co
| lumbia, or from one place in terri
| tory to another place in the same terri
| tory. or from any place in the United
| states to an adjacent foreign country,
or from any place in the United Stales
| through a foreign countrytto any o.nei
! place in the United States me pro
visions of this act shall not Apply 70
electric street railways or elee'ii ~ -
terurhan railways.
sec .. That the President shall ap-
point a commission of three, TO pe
| known as the eight hour day commis-
sion. which shall observe the ADMINS
| tratiye and financial effects OF the IN
/ stitution of the eight-hour standard
/ workday as above denned uul iile q
| period of not less than six nor more
than eight months, IN the o,scr.,on ,i., d,vs We
| the commission, and within thirty uay
. thereafter shall report it's findings 10
| the President and to Congress.
; sec. 3. That. pending the REP report OF OF
| the eight-hour day COMMISSION s
F, above provided and for period OF
ninety days thereafter, the compensa-
| ton of railway employees subject TO
| this act for standard elsnt hou, ,!
weekday shall not be reduced peioW
the present standard days wage, ana
for all services in excess of eight hours
such employees shall receive not less
than pro rata proportion OF tne com
pensation received for the standard
eight-hour sWorkday.
Any carrier violating this provision
shall be liable to a penalty of not less
than 500 and not exceeding sl.ooo IN
respect to each employe whose com
persation Is affected by such violation.
United States, and may be recovered III
q civil action brought by the United
States.
ANY person who shall willfully delay.
obstruct or hinder the operation of
trains mentioned in section one of this
act shall be guilty of a misdemeaHor
and be punished by fine not exceeding
$1,000 and imprisonment not exceeding
one year, or both.
Sec T. That the eight-hour day COM
mission shall organize and select its
own chairman and make all necessary
, rules for conducting its work. 1t snail
have authority to employ and NIX the
compensation of such employees to rent
such offices and to purchase such books,
stationery and other supplies as shall
be necessary to carry out the purposes
for which the ommission was created.
1t shall, whenever practicable. be sup
piled with suitable quarters in any fed
e-al building located at its place OF
meeting or at any place where the COM
mission may adjourn for its delibera-
tions.7
The commission is authorized. as a
whole or by subpoenas duly appointed. to
hold Sittings and public hearings any
where in the United States and al te:sti-
r1ony before the com.T 'ssion shsll he on
w
paid the same witness fees and mileage as
witnesses in courts of the United States
For the purpose of this act the eight
hour-day commission, or any member
thereof shall have power to administer
oathS. sign Subpoenas, require the at
tendance and testimony of witnesses.
and the production of such books, pa
| pers. contracts. agreements and docu-
ments as may be material to just de-
termination of the matters under inveS-
: . ion hy "a mr.
of the United States courts to compel
witnesses to attend and testify. and to
produce such books, papers, contracts
/ agreements and documents to the same
| extent and under the same conditions
and penalties as are provided for in the
/ act to regulate commerce approved
/ February 4, 1887, and the amendments
thereto.
| constitute a quorum for the tranaction
| of business; and if the commission shall
| be divided in opinion, the find4gs of
the majority upon any point shall be
/ deemed the findings of the commission.
| Sec s. That the members of the
| eight-hour day commission shall be
| paid actual travelling and other neces-
| sary expenses, and in addition com
| pensation of $25 per diem, payable
monthly, while actually engaged in the
| work of the comm ission and while go-
ing to and returning from such work.
| The sum of $4,000. or SO much there
| Ipropriated, to be Immediately available
! on the requisition of the President and
| to continue available until the close of
the fiscal year ending June 80. 1917. or
until the said commission shall have
sooner completed its work, for the pay
ment of the necessary and proper ex-
penses incurred as hereinbefore au-
thorized, including per diem of the
commissioners, witness fees and mile
age, rent, furniture. office fixtures and
supplies. books salaries of employees
+ and travelling and other necessary ex-
jpenses of members or employees of the
| ieight-hour-day commission, to be ap-
fproved by the chairman of said COM
mission and audited by the proper ac-
counting officers of the Treasury
| Sec. s. That the interstate commerce
commission shall have the power to fix
/ the hours of labor and prescribe just
and reasonable wages for all employees
| of the railroads named in section one of
| this act. The rate of wages and the
hours of labor provided for in this act
shall remain fixed for service and pay
until changed by the decision of the in
| terstate commerce commission, which,
within a period of not less than six nor
more than twelve months from the pas
sage of this act, shall determine what
are just and reasonable wages and what
shall be the hours Of labor for all en-
ployes of the railroads above mentioned
4 The interstate commerce commission
| shall have the power from time to
| time to change the hours Of labor and
the rate of wages for all employees OF
1 the railroads named in section / of
/ m Moses RHiIt Ho,nes NJ