The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-09-02

n ailsd in the Senate that the Adam
- bill affords no protection to the
ohipper and the public in general
The amendment is favored by the
Il &n1lWay executives, but opposed oy 'fi'
1rotheshood chiefs.
~ r. Garretson spokesman for tho
II oeaductors refused to make any com
nent when asked to state the a'i-
safu1e Of the hrotherhoods.
~ s~I do not want to set myself up In
II Judgment while the Senate has the
matter under consideration" he said
0arretson and w. s stone, OF the
Il 3ocemotive engineers. spent the great
part of the day In the House gallery
& listening to the debate
Wilson Thinks Dankev Passed.
President Wilson left Washington
FOR SHADOW Lawn ts.s afternoon at
--Asr having informed thu members OF
-s4s4s Cabinet that he considered all dan
ger of a strike had passed. He wiz
h feturn TO Washington tomorrow artei
tho notification ceremony with the eN-
pectation OF nnGiug the eiBht-hour
Sill ready for his signature.
The last OF the railway executives
left Washington during the afternoon
s. Expressing the opinion that the strike
crisis had passed They announced
that plans were already Under way 70
test the constitutionaIty Of the eight
hour law. on the ground that II Ia
class legislation and confiscatory, They
want the entire legislation program
proposed by President Wilson.
The President conferred with the
j. Brotherhood leaders during the morn
ing. after which he went 10 the Capt
tot He was in conference with tho
81 Senate leaders for more than an hour,
Il 1t Is understood he favored the SEN
Il Ate amendment broadening the pow
ers OF the Interstate Commerce Com
-xnission. provided IT would not pre-
went the passage OF tho eight-hour
Aay law.
Speaker Clark OF the House believes
massage OF strike legislation by to-
b moFrow means an adjournment or
congress by next Wednesday.
Underwood Introduces Amendment
while the House was debating the
|ss;. 4 damson bin the Senate had under
S+ discussion the tentative bill drafted
81 by Chairman Sewlasasy-ef-i Com
& merce Committee. Senator Underwood
fathered this bill and introduced the
ss Troublesome amendment 1t follows
80 The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion shall have the power to fix tbs
hour. OF tabor and prescribe Just ant
IA Reasonable wages for all railroads
manned In section OF this act.
The rate of wages and the hours
"a labor provided for in this act shall
4femain fxed for service and pay I'M
III changed by decision of the In
u 4erstate Commerce Commission.
.-The commission shall within a pc
d riod OF not less than six or more than
4 Twelve months from the passage OF
this act determine what are just and
what are reasonable wages and what
shall be the hours OF labor for al
empioyes Of the railroads specified
The Interstate Commerce Commission
shall have the power from time TO time
Z 10 change the hours OF labor and rate
Of wages OF all employees OF railroads
named either In whole or in part or
Its own initiative on the petition OF
the employees. the managers of the
railroads or the public"
Merely An Emergency Measure.
7- Senator Underwood declared the
icg4slati0n would be dangerous unless
the amendment was adopted. He said
after all. this is only an emer-
gency measure intended 10 meet an
hnmediate crisis II ~ not INTENDED
Tor the sole benefit OF the railroad
men. but 10 protect the commerce oi
the country from great calamity
Il is the purchase price of peace
Senator Brandoeee. OF Connecticut
Republican. Rrasped Tho opportunity
d 70 criticize the Democratic Senators
~ Tor attempting to enact such a Law
Without due deliberately.
IT wonder ~ Senator Underwood
Would he 80 eager 10 see this bill
e ENACTED Il the purchase price Of peace
which has been estimated at 100000
o0o was 10 come out % the tnttec
BATES treasury he shouted acros
The room. Senator Underwood die
not answer, but his argument wa
fasx nv FreCnaD+ trt
Over on the House side the debate
# VAS even more acrimonious. Con
Eressman Frank Clark, of Florida
@ aid he would be co. pelled TO stultif,
himself to vote for the bill. He said
"You are not proposing genuine
Il Night hour day law that viii he help
Na ful to the community at large. II Il
M 1Euply an effort to raise wages amonl
certain class. Congress may havt
the legal right to do this. but II la
IHH not the moral right.
The leaders Of these brotherhood
have taken Congress by the throat
X IL the work of highwaymen.
3sz Dealing With AGATE Situation
Chairman Adamson. Of the Hous
ks Interstate commerce committee, VIII
@ Wrought the bill out. answered VIII
k&A repetition OF the statement tina
E@ Eongress was dealing with mos
hcute situation. He was followed b
Representative Helm, who charge
hat the Republicans were willing 4
s5ot the strike come, hoping to max
t0litical capital out OF such a calam
81. He commended the interes
President Wilson had shown.
Representative Bennett, OF New
Fork, said: There are worse thing
Inn strikes and one of those thing
N the destruction of the AmeriLa Al
n1em OF government The propose,
4faiation IL the worst blow that or
nnixed labor ever had do no
IMPOSE to cast my vote with 2 pis.o
my head II you fix the pay o
~ 900 men today. you have got I,
0ffCrm a similar service for 2,oo0
- tomorrow, and sooner Or late
= the pay for every man employed
Il the interests OF this country"
xAA debate in the Senate through
the afternoon hinged upon tn,
o110n giving the Interstate Com
recs Commission power 10 fix wage
hours OF labor
Ienator Reed. of Missouri said ina
sAhe effort were made to retain tn,
e1on the bill could not be pAsse.
time to avert the strike.
nfPtkn IN -