The Green Forest tribune., 1916-12-08
|LSON'S MESSAGE
 fO THE CONGRESS
ate and House in Joint Ses- sion Hear Address of
 the President.
FEW SUGGESTIONS
Lb.r LeoisIation for Settlement and
 boulaton of Railway Labor Dis
 mites Held ImperativeIy Neces- sary by the chief Magistrate.


 nutes Held ImperativeIy Neces-
 sary by the chief Magistrate.
 rasbington, Dec. 5.-The senate
 house met in joint session today
 heard President Wilson's message,
 ch was as follows:
 ntemen of the Congress-:
 In fulfilling at this time the duty laid m me by the Constitution of com
 micating to you from time to time hrmation of the state of the Union a recommending to your considera-. n such legislative measures as ma#
 iudged necessary and expedient l sIl continue the practice, which l ce has been acceptable to you, of wing to the reports of the several ads of the executive departments the hhoration of the detailed needs of nublic service and confine myself
 those matters of more general pub
 policy with which it seems neces- r and feasible to deal at the pres session of the congress.
 I realize the limitations of time un- which you will necessarily act at s session and shall make my sug- Etions as few as possible; but there Ire some things left undone at the session which there will now be he to complete and which it seems cessary in the interest of the public do at once.
 In the first place, it seems to me im- Eatively necessary that the earliest Esible consideration and action puld be accorded the remaining assures of the program of settle ent and regulation which l had occa- bn to recommend to you at the close your last session in view of the pub
 dangers disclosed by the unaccom- dated difficulties which then existed, Id which still unhappily continue to tst between the railroads of the untry and their locomotive engineers, nductors, and trainmen.
 Railway Troubles First.
 then recommended
 First, immediate provision for the flargement and administrative reor- $nization of the interstate commerce omission along the lines embodied the bill recently passed by the house representatives and now awaiting |tiOn by the senate; in order that the fmmission may be enabled to deal tth the many great and various duties fW devolving upon it with prompt |ss and thoroughness which are, with f present constitution and means of |ron, practically impossible. Second, the establishment of an fsht-hour day as the legal basis alike fwork and of wages in the employ fa9t of all railway employees who are Edally engaged in the work of oper- Fng trains in interstate transporta- |u
 Third, the authorization of the ap- |htment by the president of small |dy of men to observe the actual re- flts in experience of the adoption of fe eight-hour day in railway trans frtation alike for the men and for (e railroads.
 Fourth, explicit approval by the con- less of the consideration by the in Fstate commerce commission of an Frease of freight rates to meet such fditional expenditures by the rail- hds as may have been rendered nee sary by the adoption of the eight Iur day and which have not been off by administrative readjustments Id economies, should the facts dis bsed justify the increase.
 Fifth, an amendment of the existing deral statute which provides for the ediation, conciliation, and arbitration such controversies as the present adding to it provision that, in case e methods of accommodation now ovided for should fail, a full public vestigation of the merits of every oh dispute shall be instituted and mpleted before strike or lockout " lawfully be attempted.
 And, sixth, the lodgment in the nds of the executive of the power, case of military necessity, to take ntrol of such portions and such roll stock of the railroads of the coun- as may be required for military and to operate them for military rposes, with authority to draft into military service of the United ates such train crews and admins ltive officials as the circumstances luire for their safe and efficient use. Renews His Recommendations. The second and third of these rec the congress immediate acted on: it established the eight UT day as the legal basis Of wofk d wages In train service and 1t au- 'rized the appointment of a colh- ssion to observe and report upon the actical results, deeming these the most immediately needed'