Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1916-12-08
Declares That Their Opera
ton Should Not Be Stopped
or Interrupted by the Con-
certed Action Of Organized
Bodies Of Men Until a Pub
lie Investigation Shall Have
Been Instituted.
N one of the shortest messages
ever sent to congress President
Wilson 11rsroS that aaelx action

III luluallAg at IulS t1me TIE uuCy
laid upon me by the constitution of
communicating to you from time 10
time Information of the state Of the
Union and recommending to your con-
> sideration such legislative measures as
may be judged necessary and expedi-
ent shall continue the practice, which
hope has been acceptable to you, of
aeaVing to the reports Of the several
heads of the executive departments
the elaboration of the detailed needs
OF the public service and confAe N.Y.
self to those matters Of more general
, public policy with which It seems nee
essary and feasible to deal at the pres
ent session Of the congress.
realize the limitations Of time un-
der which you win necessarily act at
, this session and shall make my sug-
Eesuons as few as possible. But there
we're some things left u1doae at the
last session which there will now be
time to complete and which it seems
necessary in the interest Of the public
Ato do At once.
The Railroad Problem.
In the first place, 1t seems to me- i'm
peratively necessary hat the earliest
possible consideration and action
should be accorded the remaining
measures Of the program Of settlement
and regulation which 1 had occasion to
recommend to you at the close Of your
last session in view Of the public dan
gers disclosed by the unaccommodated
difficulties which then existed and
which still unhappily continue to ex-
list between the railroads Of the coun-
try and their locomotive engineers.
conductors and trainmen.
81 then recommended:
First, Immediate provision for the
enlargement and administrative reor-
ganlzatlon of the interstate commerce
commission along the lines embodied
In the bill recently passed by the house
OF representatives and now awaiting
Ec4fon by the senate In order that the
Submission may be enabled to deal
18th the many great and various du-
rs now devolving upon it with a
=, are, with its present constitution and
means Of action, practically impossible
Second, the establishment of All eight
hour day as the legal basis alike Of
work and Of wages in the employment
Of all railway employees who are &C.
tually engaged in the work Of operat-
ing trains in interstate transportation.
Third. the authorization of the ap-
= peintment 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 transpor-
tation alike for the men and for the
railroads.
Fourth, explicit approval by the con-
gress Of the consideration by the in
tenstate commerce commission o. 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 aad which have not been off,
set by administrative readjustments
and ecoasnnies, should the facts dis
cJosed Justify the increase.
Fifth, IN amendment Of the existing
federal statute which provides for the
mediation, Cancellation and arbitration
>Qf such controversies as the present by
aiding 10 t q provision that, in case
the methods Of accommodation now
provided tor should fail, full public
hvestigatiso OF the merits Of every
sch dQote shall be instituted and
completed before a strike or lockout
may lawfully be attempted.
Ceptrs' by the Executive.
And, s9th, the Judgment in the
hands af he executive Of the power,
IN case Of military necessity, to take
eontrm az auch portions and such roll
ktg stock e the railways Of the coun-
ky ~ nay be required for military
u1e and - operate them for military
-pwpssesL with authority to draft into
the military service Of the United
Ststes sach train crews and admins
trative officials AZ the circumstances
reuaine Ser their safe and efficient use.
The seoand and third Of these rec
ommenda4jens the congress Immediate
~ acted a: It established the eight
hour d. a. the legal basis of work
and Wages n train service and it au.
thUhed he appointment Of a commits
Ision to observe and report upon the
: practical results, deeming these the
Measures Nest Immediately needed, but
It postponed action upon the other sug.
gestts0s NTH an opportunity should be
offered fer q more deliberate consider.
Atlon e them.
He fourth recomnendatt1n I DO not
1esm T. neceesaIy 70 rsDeM The pow