Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1916-12-07
Declares That Their Opera
tion Should Not Be Stopped
or Interrupted by the Con-
certed Action Of Organized
Bodies of Men Until a Pub
lie Investigation Shall Have
Been Instituted.

oei sent 10 congress president
wilson urges that early action
oe taken to complete his pro-
gram or settlement and regulation"
recommended at the last session. The
message In full Is as follows:
Gentlemen Of the Congress-:
In fulfilling at this time the duty
iaid 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.
alteration such legislative measures as
may be judged necessary and expedi
ent shall continue the practice, which
I 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
or the public service and conflne my.
self to those matters Of more general
public policy with which it seems nee
essary and feasible to deal at the pres
ent session Of the congress.
realize the limitations Of time un.
der which you will necessarily act at
this session and shall make nv 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 1t seems
necessary in the interest Of the public
to do at once.
The Railroad Problem.
In the first place, it seems to me i'm.
peratively necessary that the earliest
possible consideration and action
shorld be accorded the remaining
@es2nrea, Of the pEogram Of eettl
and regulation which had occasion to
recommend to you at the close Of your
last session. In view Of the public dan
gers disclosed bn the unaccommodated
difficulties which then existed and
which still unhappily continue to ex,
list between the railroads Of the coun
try and their locomotive engineers.
conductors and trainmen.
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
commission may be enabled to deal
with the many great and various du.
ties now devOlving upon It" with a
promptness and thoroughness which
are, with its present constitution and
means Of action. practically impossible
Second, the esta blishment Of an eight
hour day as the legal basis alike of
work and Of wages In the employment
Of all railway employees who are ac
tually engaged in the work Of operat.
ing trains In interstate transportation.
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
tation alike for the men and for the
railroads.
Fourth, explicit approval by the con-
gress of the consideration by the in
terstate commerce commission Of al
Increase Of freight rates to meet such
additional expenditures by the rail,
roads as may have been rendered nee
essary by the adoption Of the eight
hour day and which have not been of,
set by administrative readjustments
and economies. should the facts dis.
closed justify the increase.
Fifth, an amendment Of the existh:
federal statute which provides for the
mediation, Cancellation and arbitration
Of such controversies aa the present by
adding to 1t a provision that, in case
tho methods Of accommodation now
provided for should fail. full public
investigation Of the merits of every
such dispute shall be instituted and
completed before a strike or lockout
may lawfully be attempted.
Control by the Executive.
And, sixth, the lodgment In the
hands Of the executive Of the power
in case Of military necessity, to take
control Of such portions and such roll.
ing stock Of the railways Of the coun.
try as may be required for military
use and to operate them for military
purposes. with authority to draft into
the military service Of the United
trative officials as the circumstances
require for their safe and efficient use
The second and third of these rec.
concentrations the congress immediate.
ly acted on: 1t established the eight
hour day as the legal basis of work
and wages In train service and It an.
thorized the appointment Of a commits
sion to observe and report upon the
practical results, deeming these the
measures most Immediately needed. bu,
Il postponed action upon the other s,ip
@0otionS until an oppOrtunity sbou1d h.
offered for Q more deliberate consider
alton Of them.
The fourth recommendation do no,
deem 1t necessary to renew. The pow