Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-09-20
POLITICIANS
SOLD PEOPLE
TO AID PARTY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE


The Ademson hill is not a bill pro-
| Vi0ing for an cight-hour work day.
1T does not fix hours at all 1t
! regulates wages Its provisions do
/ not require any employer To employ
| any set OF men for only eight hours
day Eisht-hour day laws are to
avoid fatigue and overstrain by pro-
hitting employment in excess Of tho
requirement. There is nothing OF that
sort in this bill.
What ii does is to provide by law
for an increase in wages for certain
men. They may work as long as be-
| TORE. They may work ten hours or
| more. They are simply to get more
pay. The act provides that in con-
| tracts for labor and service eight
hours shall be deemed days work
| ana the measure or standard of Il
| days work for the purpose OF recli-
oring the compensation for services
| to all employees of the sort described. ="
Mr. Hughes quoted the Adamson
! law showing, he said, "in plain Eng
| lish," that the men affected are not
required to work fewer hours, but
are TO have ten hours pay for eight
hours work with additional pay for
additional hours.
Use Two Bladcd Knife.
we have words which may seem
| to mean one thing and in fact mean
| another" the candidate continued
! The phrase 'eight-hour day is ap-
parently used TO tickle the public ear
I'm order to establish something quite
different. II II was proposed TO give
an cight-hoUr work day why were
not work for longer hours, and all
contracts for longer service, prohib-
tied under penalty. save where emer-
sencies exist
1t Is said for this bill that It will
have a tendency to procure an eight
hour day. This is extremely doubt
ful. hat we are dealing with what the
bill actually enRCts, not with incon-
elusive suggestions OF tendencies to-
ward something else which Is not en-
acted.
This bill must be judged by what
1t provides. not by what 1t does not
provide. II is nothing more than a
measure 10 fix wages and as a meas
urC to fix wages it must be Judged. II
as such a measure its passage was
justified il needs no further excuse.
II not its passage is not 10 be con-
dcnod by reference to another eight
hour work day which 1t does not es
tahlish. Such reference can only be
regarded ~ subterfuge.
We are therefore not concerned
with anything that is said Of the judg-
ment OF society with respect TO an
eight hour work day There is plain
ly no Judgment OF society upon the
Increase OF wages this bill requires.
If the asserted Judgment Of society
inspired IL. why does the act apply
only to a limited number OF railroad
men, relatively few? The
obvious fact is that there was a de-
mand by certain men for an increase ,
in their own wages and the admins 4
tratlon In advance Of Investigation .
surrendered TO this demand"
Pointing out that the Adamson bill .
itself conceded that the subject was
one requiring investigation. Mr., .
Hughes said that II there was any
thing requiring careful inquiry 1t
was "a proposition affecting readJust-
ment either Of rates or of expenses Of .
carriers" upon whose efficiency that
community depends" He continued:
Must Know Right Course.
What is fair and right must be
done. but what is fair and right must
first be ascertained When railroads
are required to eNpend additional MIL
lions this burden must ultimately fall
on the public. II expenses are neoes-
sarily increased beyond what existing /
rates will stand the rates must be In
creased IL must be understood that
the burden Of increased rates Is passed
on TO the public. II necessarily affects 4
a host Of activities. agricultural and },
:,
'lncrsassA of w~Ses for ssleoted Il