The Washington times., 1916-02-25
CONGRESSMEN HOLD
DIVERGENT VIEWS
Express Opinions on BorIand
Rider to Increase Hours Of
Labor.

How members Of Congress View the
plan TO add nm hour1o the worfing day
OF Government clerks was expressed to-
! day In a series OF interviews OF wide
| diversity.
Congressman Richard Austin OF Ten
nessee, who was a Government clerk
years ago, made this emphatic COM
| ment:
"I would rather decrease the hours OF
labor of Government clerks than to in
| crease them under present conditions
/ shall oppose the Borland amendment
Instead of Increasing the work OF
the clerks here the amendTnnt should
incrase the salaries OF these clerks
| There have been no salary radJust-
| mcnts for something like fifty years.
IL costs money to live In Washington. 4.
that Is why the Congressman increased
their own salaries.
"If you will accompany the eight
hour amendment with an increase of
salaries for these thousands of un-
Under present conditions i avn willing
to vote TO make the hours of labor
six and half instead of eight"
Tough Says Adamson.
Congressman Bascom Slemp, a ma
/
| Committee. said:
81 voted for the Borland amendment
| In committee and think II should be
adopted. 1 concede. however. as Mr..
Martin says. that the salaries of these
Government employees should be
raised. but 1 regard seven-hour day
az rather chort."
Congressman William G. Adamson,
| one OF The House leaders and chair
man OF the Interstate Commerce Com
niittec, said:
I'm not on the Appropriations Com
mittee. but | mako just this COM
| ment: It's pretty tough to make any
| man work eight hours a day. | wish
my labors were limited to ffteen."
| MIR. Adamson was In n satrical mood.
| indicating he Is ready to vote for the
| eight-hour amendment when 1t Is reach
| ed.
Congressman John NJ Evans. another
| Democratic member OF the Appropria-
| tions Committee. said:
~ do not see how there can be any
| defense OF seven-hour day for Gov
ernment employees In Washington when
| Government employees outside OF wash
ington are working eight hours; voted
| for the amendment In committee and
| Will do so on the floor"
Others Work Twelve.
| Congressman Goodwin. chairman OF
the Committee on Reform on the Civil
Service. said he was not prepared Ia
announce how he would vote on the
| Borland amendment. lie significantly
commented. however. that clerks oi
various kinds, merchants. bankers
farmers. and other classes OF business
men and workers toll anywhere from
eight to twelve hours day in North
Carolina, from which state Mr.. Goodwin
halls.
Congressman A. w. 'Barkley of Ken,
lucky said
Il do not see any reason for favor.
ing the Government employees in Wash
ington with "A seVcn-hour day. Per
sons employed by the Government out'
side of Washington work Tor eigh,
hours or longer
Congressman j. Hampton Moore Of
Pennsylvania, Republican leader
said:
"I do not think can vote for add
tional hours OF labor for Government
employees at their present salaries. The
salaries ought to be raised II the hour!
OF labor arc TO be heightened"
Mann May Oppose.
Minority leader Mann. who has al
ways been a friend OF the Government
clerk In House debates. withheld an an
nouncement of his position because h'
said he ahd not full time TO study eithel
the Borland amendment or to determine
whether point OF order can lie agains
IT.
Mr.. Mann broadly intimated. however
that there is doubt OF the propriety o.
such legislation on an appropriation bill
and that he would oppose 1t at thu
proper time.
Congressman Henry T. Rainey of I'LL
nois said:
"I have not gone very deeply into tn
merits of the case as yet. but II occur
to me that when the country tinds ou
that Government clerks are working
only seven hours there will be a de
mand from constituents to increas
those hours.
II have always worked a good dea
more than eight hours. II has not i'm
paired my health or efficiency. Bu
after all 1t Is a question OF getting tn
work done"
Congressman ]. N. Garner of Texas
member OF the Ways and Means Com
mittee. said:
at occurs to me that as long as prac
tically everybody else In the countr,
works eight hours a day. there is YER
, little reason why Government clerk
should not do So"
Congressman Edward Keating of Col
orado, who has been especially iden
tined with legislation affecting condi
tions OF labor, said:
II see no reason now why Govern
ment clerks should not work an eight
UInNIUVT mn AIM n TraRn