The sun., 1916-12-06
TEXT OF MESSAGE
!. READ TO CONGRESS
Outside Of Railroad Legislation
Wilson Recommends Few
i Enactmcnts.
WANTS "PURE" ELECTIONS
President Says Corrupt Prac-
tees Act Would Relieve
i the Public Mind.

> WAsHtNGroN, Dec. 5.-Thc text OF
President Wilson's message read TO on
eress to-day follows:
GENTLEMEN or THE CONGRESS:
. In fulfilling at this time the duty laid
upon me by the Constitution OF COM
M%unicatins to you from timc to time IN,
formation OF the state OF the Union anu
recommending to your consideration sucn
legislative measures as may be judged
necessary and cxpedicnt I shall continue
the practice. which I hope has been ac-
ceptable TO YOU. OF leaving to the reports
Of the several heads OF the executive ne
partments the elaboration OF the dctailed
needs of tbs public service and confne
myself to those matters OF more general
public policy with which II seems neSes.
Ary aud feasible to deal at the present
session Of the Congress.
realise the limitations OF time undeS
which you will necessarily act at this
session and shall make my suggestions as
few AS possible but there were some
things left undone at the last session
which there will now be time to COM
plete and which II seems necessary In
the interest of the public to do at once.
In the FIRST place II seems TO me
= eeatively necessary that the carries.
8Hl OltS1uFTutl'h INV NN'c
b. accorded the remaining measures OF
the programme Of settlement and regula.
ton which I had occasion to recommend
70 you at the close OF your last SESSION
In view u the public dangers disclosed
Ny the unaccommodated difficulties which
' then existed. and which still unhappily
continue to exist. between the railroads
" Of tho country and their locomotive en-
: gineers. conductors and trainmen'
. then recommended:
y Railroad Labor Legislation.
, First. immediate provision for the en-
= hrgcment and administrative reorgani'
sation q the Interstate Commerce Com
' mission along the lines embodied In ths
bill recently passed by the House OF Rep
. rcscntativea and now awaiting action BY
the senate In order that the commits
, zion may be enabled to deal with ths
p many great n various duties now de.
= volving upon II with a promptness and
: t~Norouehness which are, with its presen,
= constitution and means Of action, prac'
, tically impossible.
1 Second, the establishment of an eigh'
hour day rs the legal basis alike Of
work and OF wages in the employment o.
all railway employees who are actually
engaged in tho work OF operating train
IN Interstate transportation.
!. Third. the authorization OF the appoint
ment by the President of a small bod
Il men 10 observe the actual results II
y experience OF the adoption OF the eiGh'
hour day in railway transportation ak
: for the vnen and for the railroads.
Fourth. explicit approval by the Con
eress Of the consideration by the Inter
state Commerce Commission OF an in
crease OF freight rates to meet such ad
ditionai expenditures by the rallroad'
81 - -~., u,.A hAAn rondarAd nnsAaaAF
d. By the adoption OF the eight hour da!
: and which have not been Offset by ad
: m%inistrative establishments and econo
mics. should the facts disclosed 5ustif.
the increase.
y Fifth, an amendment Of the existing
> FEDERAL statute which provides for tn
mediation. Cancellation and arbitration
a Of such controversies as the present o.
/, adding to II a provision that. In case tn
. methods OF accommodation now pro
4 vided for should fail, a full public In
: v%estigation Of the merits OF every sue
= dispute shall DO instituted and completes
q before a strike or lockout may lawful,
b attempted.
Control for Military Purposes.
And. sixth. the Judgment In the hand
. Of the Executive of the power. in cas-
OF military necessity. to take control q
OuCn DpINiOuS hIu soNIl oiitte rNeNN "
the railways Of the country as may b
required for military use and to operat
them for military purposes, with al
thority to draft into the military sci
vice OF the United States such trai
crews and administrative officials a
the circumstances require for their SAT
and efficient use.
The second and third Of these recon
mendations the Congress immediatel
acted on: It established the eight hot
day As the legal basis of work an
wages In train service and II authorize
the appointment OF q commission to ol
serve and report upon the practical n
suits, dseming these the measures mo
Immediately needed but II postpone
action upon the other suggestions unt
an opportunity should be offered for
more deliberate consideration OF ther
The fourth recommendation do m
deem II necessary to renew. The pow
Of the Interstate Commerce Commissie
TO grant an increase of rates on II
ground referred to Is indisputably clei
and q recommendation by the Congrei
with regard to such a matter mig
seem TO draw In question the scope
tho commissions authority or its i
~clination to do Justice when there is
reason to doubt either.
Settlement OF Disputes.
The other suggestions--the increa
IN the Interstate Commerce Commit
ston's membership and In its faciliti
for performing Its manifold duties. 4
"t provision for full public investigate
and assessment Of industrial DISPUTE
and the grant to the Executive Of I
power to control and operate the ra
ways when necessary In time OF war
other like public necessity now We
earnestly renew.
The necessity for such legislation
manifest and pressing. Those who ha
entrusted US with the responsibility
serving n safeguarding them in 81
matters would find II hard, ! believe,
Reuse q failure to act upon these gra
natteN or any unnecessary postpol
ment OF action upon them.
Not only does the Interstate Co