The Lovington leader., 1916-12-08
MESSAGE Of WILSON
PResipeNr DELIVERS A SHORT
ADDRESS TO CONGRESS IN
JOINT SESSION.
ASKS MORE RAILWAY LAWS

Soss~ Wv eesy SSssVV WI VSVeVs"0
Measurss Of HE Program Of Settle.
ment and ResuiatIeo-other leeis-
iatien That 10 Advised.
Washington. Dec. 5.-Presidenr;wil.
sons message. delivered TO congress
10 Joint session today. was brief and
to the point. The president said:
Gentlemen Of the Congress:
In fulfilling at this time the duty laid
upon me by the Constitution Of com
municating to you from time to time
information Of the state Of the Union
and recommending to your considera-
tion such legislative measures as may
be Judged necessary and cxpcdient l
shall continue 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 service and conflne myself
10 those matters Of more general pub
lie policy with which 1t seems neces-
sary and feasible to deal ut the pres
ent session Of the congress.
realise the limitations OF time un.
der which you will necessarily act at
this session and shall make my sug.
gestious - few as possible: but there
were some things left undone ut the
last session which there will now be
time to complete and which It seems
necessary 10 the interest Of the public
to do at once.
In the 6rst place. 1t seems to me i'm.
perauvely necessary that the earliest
possible consideration and action
should be accorded the remaining
measures Of the program Of settle
ment and regulation which had occa.
sion to recommend to you ut the close
Of your last session In view of the pub.
Tic dangers disclosed by the unaccom-
modated difficulties which then existed,
and which still unhappily continue ia
exist, between the railroads of the
country nnd their locomotive engineers
conductors. and trainmen.
Railway Troubles First.
then recommended:
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 hous,
OF representatives and now awaiting
action by the senate; In order that the
commission may be enabled to dca
with the many great and various dutie.
now dev0lving upon 1t with prompt
ness and thOrOughness which are, will
its present constitution and means o
action, practically impossible.
Second, the establishment Of M
eight-hOur day as the legal basis nlik,
Of work and Of wages In the employ
ment Of all railway employees who ar
actually engaged In the work of Oper
ating trains In Interstate transporta
ton.
Third. the authorization OF the ar
pOintment by the president Of a smal
body Of men to observe the actual RI
suits In experience Of the adoption O
the eight-hOur day In railway trans
portatlon alike for the men and 10
sthe railroads.
Fourth. explicit approval by the cor
gress Of the consideration by the II
terstate commerce commission of n
increase Of freight rates to meet sue
additional expenditures by the raj
roads us may have been rendered ne,
essary by the adoption Of the eigh
hour day and which have not been Of
set by administrative readjustment
and economies, should the facts dl
closed justify the increase.
Fifth. an amendment of the exlstln
federal statute which provides for Il
mediation, concillatlon. and arbitratlo
Of such controversies as the preseI
by adding to It a provision that, In ca.
the methods Of accommodation no
provided for should fall. n full publ
Investigation Of the merits Of eveI
such dispute shall be instituted or
completed before q strike or lockO
may lawfully be attempted.
And. sixth, the lOdgment In Il
hands Of the executive of the pOwe
In case Of military necessity. to tal
control Of such portions and such 70
ing stock Of the railroads Of the cOu
try AZ may be required for militia
use and to operate them for militia
purposes. with authority to draft in
the military service Of the Unit
States such train crews and admin
trative officials as the clrcumstanc
require for their safe and efficient u.
Renews His Recommendation.
The second and third Of these r.
concentrations the congress immedlnl
" acted on: II established the eigl
hour day as the legal basis Of wO
and wages In train service and II q
thorized the appointment Of co
mission to observe and report upon
practical results, deeming these I
measures most Immediately needle
( hut It postponed action upon the 9th
The Years After Fifty.