The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1916-12-08

| WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-The text OF
President Wilson'S address to Con-
lgress Isl:
sGentlemen of the Congress-In full
lfi1linE at this time the duty laid upor
me by the Constitution Of communicate
ling to you from time to time informa-
tion OF the state Of the Union and rec
omending to your consideration such
Legislative measures as may be Judged
necessary and expedient. I shall con-
tinue the practice, which 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 serv-
ice and confine myself to those matters
OF more general public policy with
which it seems necessary and feasible
to deal at the present session of the
| Congress.
IT realize the limitations of time un-
der which you will necessarily act al
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.
Railway Labor Legislation Urged.
l. Ftf LII LUc llI1I pldCCy II bGtiil5 ~ lue
limperatively necessary that the earliest
possible consideration and action
should be accorded the remaining
measures Of the programme Of settle
ment and regulation which / had oc-
casion to recommend to you at the close
of your last session in view of tho pub.
lie dangers disclosed by the unaccom-
modated difficulties which then existed
and which still unhappily continue te
exist, between the railroads of the
country and their locomotive engineers
conductors and trainmen.
IT then recommended:
i First immediate provision for the
enlargement and administrative reor-
ganization of the Interstate Commerce
Commission along the lines embodied
| In 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, witt
its present constitution and means o1
action, practically impossible.
Second, the establishment of ar
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.
| tion.
Third, the authorization Of the ap.
pointment by the President of 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 thu
railroads.
Fourth, explicit approval by tn,
4 Congress Of the consideration by thu
Interstate Commerce Commission Of al
Increase Of freight rates to meet suci
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 readjustment
and economies. should the facts dis
closed justify the increase.
Compulsory Investigation Advocated
"Fifth, an amendment of the exist
ling Federal statute which provides TO
i the mediation, conciliation and arbitra
tion of such controversies as the pres
Il ent by adding to it provision that
in case the methods of accommodation
now provided for should fail, a full
public Investigation of the merits 0
i every such dispute shall be institute'
and completed before strike or lock
out may lawfully be attempted.
"And, sixth, the Judgement 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 railways Of the coun
try as may be required for military US
and to operate them for military pur
poses, with authority to draft into tn
military service of the United State
| s1x..fx, ,tefr txrA of
ficials as the circumstances require TO
their safe and efficient use.
"The second and third Of these recon-
mendations the Congress immediatel,
acted on: 1t established the eight-hou
day as the legal basis Of work an
wages In train service and 1t authorize
the appointment of a commission t
observe and report upon the practica
: results, deeming these the measure
most Immediately needed; but it post
poned action upon the other sugges
tions until an opportunity should b
offered for a more deliberate consid
Grafton of them. The fourth recon
mendation do not deem it necessar
to renew The power of the Inter
state Commerce Commission to gran
an increase of rates on the ground re
ferred to is indisputably clear and
recommendation by the Congress wit
regard to such a matter might seer
to draw in question the scope of tn
Commissions authority or its inclina
tion to do justice when there Is n
reason to doubt either.
Other Recommendations Renewed.
"The other suggestions-the increas
! in the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion's membership and in its ia
cilities-e for performing its man
fold duties. the provision for fu
public investigation and assess
ment Of industrial disputes, an
: the grant to the Executive of tn
power to control and operate the raj
ways when necessary in time Of war {
other like public necessity-I now yer
: earnestly renew.
"The necessity for such legislation
manifest and pressing. Those wh
have entrusted us with the respons
bility and duty. of serving and SAFE
: guarding them in such matters woul
z find it hard, believe, to excuse a faf
ure to act upon these grave matter
! or any unnecessary postponement {
: action upon them.
z mot only does the Interstate Con
3 merce Commission now find 1t pract
: cally impossible, with its present men
bership and organization, to perfor
Its great functions promptly and thu
3 roughly. but it is not unlikely that
I may presently be found advisable
add to its duties still others equal
heavy and exacting. 1t must first
. perfected as an administrative instr
2 ment.
"The country cannot and should NJ
d consent to remain any longer expose
q to profound Industrial disturbance
!. for lack of additional means of arb
. tration and conciliation which the Coz
gress can easily and promptly suppl
High Living Cost Issue.