Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-05

Coutiresa from rsss on.
Congregational action 10 avert = natlon-wld,
sriks last fall.
The message constituted "ciean.up
program.
Aithoush both branohes of Congress ar
sesthins over the hieh cost Of living prob
lem, and interest in this has ovorshad
owed all other proposed action. the Presl
dent mado no reference to II today n,
u receiving reports from different otecu
tive departments. however. In an eror
20 devise the best possible plan for cutbinr
soaring prices.
No FOOD sUGuEsTIoNs
II ls believed the President viii either
deliver n special message on tho question
later or take Il up personally with tho
House and Senate leaders when plan
he deemed feasible has been found
30 HerIous does she President regard
tho high eort of living question that he har
determined TO keep Il out of polltlcH II pos.
sible ITO Ia undoTtood 20 feel that Re-
publlcans and Democrats are equally In
torested In n solution Of the difIiculty.
and will make no EFFORT to put through a
party MEASURE"
Tho message folows:
GENTLEMEN or THE CONGRESS:
In fulnlllnR at this time the duty
lhid upon the by the Constitution
OF communicating 10 you from time 60
time Information Of the state of tho
Union and recommending to your con.
FI1aruNIgNf,
may be judged necessary and cxpedl.
cnt, shall continue tho practice. which
hope has been acceptable to you, OF
leaving TO tho reports OF the several
heads Of the executive departments tho
elaboration of tho detailed needs Of the
public service and confnc myself 10
those matters Of moro general public
policy with which It seems necessary
aud feasible to deal at the present soa-
sion of the Congress
realize the limitations of time under
which you viii necessarily act at this
Hosslon ana shall make my suggcp-
tonn ne few as possible but there were
some things left undono at tho last
session which there viii now be time to
complete and which Il seems necessary
In the interest OF the public 10 do at
once.
In tho first place, IL seems to me i'm.
peratlvcly necessary that the earliest
possible confederation and action should
be accorded tho remaining mcaAircs
OF the program OF settlement and reg
ulation which had occasion 10 recon-
mend to you at the close OF your last
nession In view Of the public dangers
disclosed by tho unRCcOmmudated dlni-
cultlcH which then existed. and which
stlll unhnppily continue 10 exist, bo-
tween the railroads Of tho country and
their locomotive engineers. conductors
and tranmen.
| then recommcndcd
Frat Immediate provision for the
enlargement and administrative reor-
ganizatlon OF the Interstate Commerce
CommiHison along the lines embodied In
the bill recently passed by the House
OF Representatives and now awaiting
action by the Senate I'm order that tho
commission may be enabled to deal
with the many great and various duties
now dcyolylng upon II with a nrompt-
ness and thoroughness which are. with
ltA present constitution and means OF
action, practically impossible
Second. The establishment Of nm
clght-hour day as the legal basIs alike
OF work and Of wages In the empIoy-
ment Of all railway empIoyes who mr..
actually engaged In the work Of opcr.
htlng trains In Interstate transportation
Third The authorization OF the ap-
pointment by the President of a small
body OF .men TO observe tho actual re-
suits In experience OF the adoption OF
the elght-hour day In railway trans
portatlon alike for tho men and for
the railroads.
Fourth Explicit approval by the
congress OF tho consideration by tho
Interstate Commerce Commission OF nm
Increase OF freight rates 10 meet such
additional expenditures by the railroads
us may have been rendered necessary