The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-10-06
WASHINGTON LETTER

Just as predicted, President Wilson
is finding that his non-partisan plea
is a two-edged sword that cuts boil
ways. Editor George Harvey, OF the
North American Review, the origina
Wilson man, says that Wilson has alb
solved him from the, obligation OF
party loyalty-and in two ways: first
by his appeal for reelection as non
partisan, and, second, by his abandon
ment of Democratic doctrine. Ano
Harvey puts the logic OF the situation
in a way that will appeal to thous'
ands of men who have been affiliated
with the Democratic party all then
lives-iust as Harvey has been.
In figuring the percentage of Pro-
eressives who returned to the Repub-
lican party in Maine the tabulatins
machine goes all to pieces. There
were about $4,000 Moose left in Maine
two years ago-and this year the Re-
publican vote is increased by more
than twenty thousand. The Moose
evidently returned with good interest.
The New York World remarks that
the Democratic campaign managers
are going on with their work just the
same as if the Maine election hadn Z
taken place. No; not just the same.
They have revised their plans in a
good many particulars. For instance,
they are not going to talk so much
about the so-called "eight-hour-a-
day" law, nor are they going to send
out so many Southern orators to fire
the Northern heart, nor are they 60
ing to keep Mr.. Wilson in the dim
seclusion of Shadow Lawn, they are
going to send him out making speeches
for himself. In fact, they are going
to do a lot of things they never dream
ed of when they thought they could
re-elect Senator Johnson and Con-
gresham McGillicuddy.
In 1910 there were no Democratic
Senators from the New England
States. Since then there have been
three-Maine contributing two Of
them and New Hampshire the other.
Maine still has one-but he will GO
out next March; and the New Hamp-
shire incumbent will 60 out two years
later.
Maine having shown, according to
Chairman Mccormick, the presage of
Democratic victory, we have to hand
it to him as the finest press agent that
a presage ever had.
Conditions after the war form
considerable part of Mr.. Hughes
topic as he journeys about the country.
He presents the picture-and he en-
bodies the remedy.
When Hughes takes Office he will
know the country from actual contact
and the country will know him. No
clustered theories will shape his poll
cies.
w 90 ooboA 0SAupiANhCu'
The legislation which Mr.. Wilson
has so wrongly called the "eight-hour-
aday' bill will undoubtedly have to
run the gauntlet Of the courts before
it is established even as a "basic"
principle in railroad employment. If |
The measure is held to be constitu-
tional, there will yet remain several
questions regarding its operation.
For instance, there is nothing in the !
law to prevent the railroads from
their men ten, twelve, even
sixteen hours day, providing the pay
IS reckoned upon the "basic' eight
1our scale; and in that case the runs
IF the men will be redistributed with
he probable result that some trainmen
will find themselves without work for
my number of hours a day.
Moreover, if the eight-hour scale is
% be basic" the railroads may con-
end with no little force that no man
'hall be paid anything unless he works
eight hours, or that if he works less
han eight hours he shall be paid for
he time pro rata according to the
basic" scale.
There are many trainmen now run
hing on the mileage basis who COM
'lete their days work in less than
light hours but who receive full
lays wage. Upon the '"basic" prin-
'iple, these men could be required to
'un the additional time to make up
he eight hours of to have their pay
educed accordingly.
Legislation without investigation
'ften results in some very interesting
'y-products-and it may be that labor
las received gold brick.