The sun., 1916-08-31

hour day hall be established on railroads.
and second, that a commission Of three
persons shall be appointed TO investigate
the effect of this legislation and the
transportation problem.
TENTATIVE DRAFTS.
House and senate Measures 20
Meet Present Emergency.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 3O.-The tenta-
tive draft of the bills to carry out the
recommendations of the President, made
to Congress yesterday. for dealing with
the strike situation were submitted to
merce when II met to-day. Tho bills
were the product OF the Joint labors OF
Senator Newlands, Secretary Lane and
Attorney-Gencral Gregory.
Chairman Newlands Of the Interstate
Commerce Committee was careful to
state to members OF the committed that
the measures submitted were but tenta-
tive and that suggestions would be well
coined within the general lines laid down
by the President.
one Of the measures submitted follows
the recommendation of the President for
the establishment Of the eight hour day
and gives increased authority to use the
railroads to meet military necessities.
The bill does not provide an actual eight
hour day, but merely makes such IA day
the basis for computing wages In other
words, 1t compels he roads by legisla-
ton to give ten hours pay for eight
hours work.
The other measures are proposed as
amendments to the law creating The
board OF mediation and Cancellation.
This amendment proposes In substance
what IL known as the Canadian plan,
and while It does not go to tho extent
OF imposing compulsory arbitration Il
does force a suspension OF strikes and
lockouts pending an investigation into
the merits Of the controversy to be un-
dertaken by the board after the parties
to the dispute have rejected offers Of
mediation.
Text Of Eisht Hour Bill.
The following is the text Of the eight
hour day bill:
eight hours shall he deemed the Measure
or standard OF a days work for the pur-
pose OF reckoning the compensation for
services Of all employees who are now or
may hereafter be employed by any COM
mon carrier by railroad. subject to the
provisions Of the act Of February 4. 1883.
entitled An act to regulate commerce.
as amended. and who are now or may
hereafter he actually engaged in the
work OF operating rains In transporta-
ton OF persons or property on railroads
from any state or Territory Of the United
States. or the District Of Columbia. to
ny other State or Territory of the
United States or the District Of Columbia.
or from ore place in a territory to another
place in the same territory. or from any
place In the United States to an adjacent
foreign country. or from any place In
the United States through a foreign coun-
try to any other place in the United
States.
Second. the President shall appoint
a commission Of three to be known as
the wage commission. i've Of whom
shall he persons recommended respect
lively by the railways IND their en-
p.oyees. The commission shall observe
.he administration and financial effects
OF the institution Of the eight hour
standard work day as above defined dur
ing IA period OF not less than - months
nor more than - months, In the dis
erection OF the commission and within
- days thereafter shall report It's fnd-
ings to the President and to Congress.
Method Of Decision.
1.-The President shall transmit the re-
poIr of the wage commission to the In
terstate Commerce Commission. which
shall accept the report OF the Wage Com
mission unless clearly erroneous. and
upon these findings and such other facts
as II may consider gsrnane the Inter-
state Commerce Commission - days
from the report from the Wage Commits
sion, shall reach a decision az TO what
extent. II any, the change IN the stand
ard work day necessitates an increase
in the freight rates OF the railways af-
fected In order to conserve their eff
cheney and secure a fair return on the
capital invested.
Third, pending the report OF the
wage commission and the decision of
the Interstate Commerce Commission
as above provided and for a period OF
- days thereafter the compensation
OF railway employees subject to this
act for a standard eight hour work day
sha not be reduced below the present
standard days wage and for all services
In excess OF eight hours such employees
shall receive not less than the pro rata
proportion OF the compensation received
for the standard eight hour work day.
Fourth, the wage commission shall
also study the problems a. the COM
pensation for services OF en-, ployees en-
gagged in the operation OF ira y and the
service OF interstate railroad tran. porta-
ton throughout the States and Terri.
tories of the United States and the Dis
tfict of Columbia for the purpose. of de-
termining whether IN the judgment of
said commission power 10 fix and regu-
late the wages Of such employees ought
TO be vested In sOne public body, and II
shall report it's findings in this behalf,
together with its conclusions and rec
concentrations there, 10 the Congress and
to the President not later thar -
Fifth. any carrier violating any pro-
vision OF section 3 Of this act shall
he liable to a penalty of not less than
800 n not exceeding $1,000 in respect
to each employee whose compensation
IL affected by such violation, which
penalty shall accrue to the United states
and may he recovered IN a civil action
brought by the United States
For Government Operation.
The bill to provide for Government
operation Of railroads in case of mill
tary necessity is as follows:
"If at any time any railway engaged
in Interstate mmerce or In the trans
portation OF the mails shall cease to
operate or be seriously hindered In It's
operation because OF "A strike OF its em-
ployees he President shall have power
tn direct the operation Of such railway
whenever In his judgment essential for
military purposes. and to that end he