Weekly journal-miner., 1916-12-13
BANNER WAVED IN THE FACE
 OF WILSON
INSCRIPTION ASKS PRES DENT WHAT HE IN TENDS TO DO FOR THE CAUSE OF WOMEN.
Ry Associated PrasA


 Ry Associated PrasA
 WASHINGTON, Dec. ;.
 President Wilson's address to
 congress, was marked by a suff-
 rage coup in the galleries, the
 first real show of organized mili-
 tary in the capital, and by great
 demonstration of congratulation
 to the president upon his re-elec-
 ton, in which many Republicans
 joined the Democrats. The presi-
 dent was just about to begin a
 sentence when a suffragist drop
 ped banner from the gallery
 bearing the inscription: "Presi- dent Wilson, what will you do for
 woman suffrage?" A page, raised
 on the arms of men, grasped the
 banner and tore it down. The
 president spoke as follows:
 Presidents Message.
 Gentlemen of the Congress:
 In fulfilling at this time the duty laid upon me by the Constitution Of communicating to you from time to time information of the state of the union and recommending to your con- sideration such legislative measures as may be judged necessary and ex- pedient shall continue the practice, which I hope has been acceptable to you, of leaving to the reports of the several heads of the executive depart ments the elaboration of the detailed needs of the public service and confne myself to those matters of more gem eral public policy with which it seems necessary and feasible to deal at the present session of the congress.
 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.
 Railroad Legislation.
 In the first place, 1t seems to me imperatively necessary that the earli- est possible consideration and action should be accorded the remaining measures of the program of settle Inent and regulation which I had oc- casion to recommend to you at the close of your last session in view oi the public dangers disclosed by the unaecommodated difficulties which then existed ,and which still unhap- piiy continue to exist, between the railroads of the country and their To comotive engineers, conductors and trainmcn. 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 house of representatives and now awaiting action by the senate; in or der that the commission may be en- abled to deal with the many great and various duties now devolving upon ii with a promptness and thoroughnes. which are, with its present constitu- ton and means of action, practically | impossible. Second, the establishment of an 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 op- erating trains in interstate transpor- tation. Third the authorization of the ap- pointment 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 trans portation alike for the men and for the railroads.
 Increased Frenght Rates.
 Fourth, explicit approval by the congress of the consideration by the interstate commerce commission of an increase of freight rates to meet such additional expenditures by the railroads as may have been rendered necessary by the adoption of the eight-hour day and which have not been offset by administrative read justments and economies, should the facts disclosed justify the increase.
 Arbitration of Disputes.
 Fifth, an amendment of the exist ing Federal statute which provide. for the mediation, conciliation, and arbitration of such controversies as the present by adding to it a pro- vision that, in case the methods of