The Washington herald., 1916-09-02
HOUSE PASSES EIGHT
HOUR LAW; PEACE NEAR
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r.
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shortly after that body took up the Adam
son measure. This section gives the
Interstate Commerce Commission power
10 regulate the wages and hours Of labor
Of train employees in the interstate opera
tion Of trains. Section 8 reads:
"Sec. o-That the Interstate COM
merce Commission shall have the pow
er to fix the hours Of labor and pre-
scribe tust and reasonable wages for
all employes of the railroads named
In section one Of this act. The rate
Of wages and the hours of labor pro-
vided for in this act shall remain
fixed for service and pay until chang
ed by the decision Of the Interstate
Commerce Commlssion, which, within
q period Of not less than stx nor
more than twelve months from the
passage Of this act, shall determine
what are just and reasonable wages
and what shall be the hours of labor
for all employees of the railroads
mentioned. gE
The Interstate Commerce Communication
shall have the power from time to
time to change the hours of labor and
the rate OF wages for all employees Of
the railroads named in section i of
this act, either in whole or in part,
prescribed by IT on its own initiative,
on the petition Of the employees, the
managers of the railroads or the pub
Hc.,
A. b. Garretson, spokesman for the
conductors, refused to make any COM
ment when asked to state the attitude
of the brotherhoods.
II do not want to set myself up in
Judgment while the Senate has the mat
ter under consideration" he said.
Garretson and w. 8. Stone, of the To-
comotive engineers, spent the greater
part of the day in the House listening to
the debates
Wilson Leaves City.
President Wilson left Washington for
Shadow Lawn yesterday afternoon after
having informed the members of his
cabinet that he considered all danger Of
a strike had passed. He will return to
Washington tonight after the notification
ceremony with the expectation OF sign
ing the elght-hour bill.
The last of the executives left WASH
ington during the afternoon. after ex-
pressing the opinion that the strike crisis
had passed. They announced that plans
were already under way to test the con-
stitutionality of the eight-hour law on
the ground that 1t Is class legislation and
| conflscatory. They want the entire legis-
lation program proposed by President
Wilson.
The President conferred with the
brotherhood leaders during the morning.
after which he went to the Capitol. He
was in conference with the Senate lead
ers for more than an hour. 1t is under
| stood he favored the Senate amendment
broadening the powers of the Interstate
Commerce Commission, provided II would
not prevent the passage Of the eight
hour law.
Senate Discusses Bill.
Speaker Clark OF the House believes
passage of legislation by tonight means
| an adjournment of Congress by next
Wednesday.
While the House was debating the
Adamson bill the Senate had under dis
cussion the tentative bill drafted by
Chairman Newlands, of the commerce
committee. Senator Underwood fathered
this bill and introduced the troublesome
amendment 1t follows
The Interstate Commerce Commission
| shall have the power to fix the hours
of labor and prescribe Just and reason
able wages for all railroads named in
section l OF this act.
The rate of wages and the hours of
labor provided for in this act shall re-
changed by a decision OF the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
The commission shall within a period
OF not less than six or more than twelve
months from the passage OF this act de-
termine what are Just and what are rea-
sonable wages and what shall be the
hours of labor for all employees Of the
railroads specified.
THE Interstate Commerce Commission
shall have the power from time to time
| to change the hours of labor and rate OF
wages for all employees of the railroads
named either in whole or in part on its
own initiative. on the petition OF the en-
ployes, the managers of the railroads. or
the public
! "Legfslation Dangerous"
Senator Underwood declared the legisla-
ton would be dangerous unless the
amendment was adopted. He said:
After all. this is only an emergency
measure intended to meet an immediate