Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-12-09
Presidents Address to Both
Houses Is Quite Short.
RAIL TROUBLES COME FIRST
Further Legislation on That Line Is
Strongly Recommended-Biii Civ
ing Foreign Commerce Promo
tiers Free Hand Necessary.

Gentlemen of the Congress:
In fulfilling at this time the duty laid
upon me by the Constitution of COM
municating to you from time to time
Information OF the state of the Union
and recommending to your considera-
ton such legislative measures as may
be judged necessary and expedient l
shall continue the practice, which L
hope has been acceptable to you, OF
leaving to the reports of the several
heads of the executive departments the
elaboration of the detailed needs of
the public service and confine myself
to 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 time UNI
der which you will necessarily act at
this session and shall make my sug-
gestions as few as possible; but there
were some things left undone at the
last session which there will now be
time to complete and which it seems
necessary in the interest of the public
to do at once.
In the first place. it seems to me inn
peratively necessary that the earliest
possible consideration and action
should be accorded the remaining
measures of the program of settle
ment and regulation which had occa-
sion to recommend to you at the close
of your last session in view of the pub
lie dangers disclosed by the unaccom-
modated difficulties which then existed,
and which still unhappily continue to
exist, between the railroads of the
country and their locomotive engineers,
conductors. and trainmen-
Railway Troubles First.
/ then recommended
First, immediate provision for the
enlargement and administrative reor
ganization of the interstate commerce
commission along the lines embodied
i'll the bill recently passed by the house
of representatives and now awaiting
action by the senate; in order that the
commission may be enabled to deal
with the many great and various duties
now devolving upon it with a prompt
ness and thoroughness which are, with
its present constitution and means of
action, practically impossible.
Second, the establishment of an
eight-hour day as the legal basis alike
of work and of wages in the employ
ment of all railway employees who are
actually engaged in the work of oper-
ating trains in interstate transporta-
ton.
Third, the authorization of the ap-
pointnent by the president of a small
body of men to observe the actual re-
suits in experience of the adoption of
the eight-hour day in railway trans
portation alike for the men and for
the railroads.
Fourth, explicit approval by the con-
gress of the consideration by the in
terstate commerce commission of an
increase of freight rates to meet such
additional expenditures by the rail
roads as may have been rendered nee
essary by the adoption of the eight.
: hour day and which have not been off
set by administrative readjustments
and economies, should the facts dis
closed justify the increase.
~ Fifth, an amendment of the existing
federal statute which provides for the
mediation. Cancellation, and arbitration
of such controversies as the present
by adding to it a provision that, in case
the methods of accommodation now
provided for should fail, full public
Investigation of the merits of ever,
such dispute shall be Instituted ant
completed before strike or lockou
may lawfully be attempted.
And, sixth. the Judgment in tn,
hands of the executive of the power
in case of military necessity, to tax,
control of such portions and such roll
ing stock of the railroads of the coun
try as may be required for militar.
use and to operate them for militar.
purposes, with authority to draft int
the military service of the United
States such train crews and admins
trative officials as the circumstance
require for their safe and efficient use
Renews His Recommendations.
The second and third of these rec
concentrations the congress immediate
1y acted on: it established the eight
hour day as the legal basis of worl
and wages in train service and it au
thorized the appointment of com
mission TO observe and report upon tn
practical results, deeming these tn
measures most Immediately needed
but it postponed action upon the othe
suggestions until an opportunity shoui
be offered for a more deliberate cor
sideration of them. The fourth res
ornmendation do not deem it neces
Sary to renew. The power of the In
terState commerce commission to gran
an increase of rates on the ground n
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