The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-12-05

The Presidents message follows IN
nun:
"Gentlemen OF the Congress:
I'm fuldlling at this time the duty
laid upon me by the Constitution OF
Z comm unicating to you from time tc
time information OF the state Of the
Union and recommending to your
consideration such legislative meas
ure as may be Judged necessary and
expedient ] shall continue the prac-
tice, which 7 hope has been accept
. able to you. of leaving to the reports
of the several heads OF the executive
departments the elaboration of the
detailed needs Of the public service
and confine myself to those matters
Of more general public policy with
which it seems necessary and feasible
to- deal at the present session of the
CONGRESS. ~
ST realize the limitations Of time
under which you will necessarily act
at this session and shall make my
suggestions as few as possible; but
there were some things left undone
at the last session which tLere will
now be time to complete and which
it seems necessary in the interest of
the public to do at once.
seIn the first place, 1t seems to me
imperatiHely necessary that the earl
lest possible consideration. and action
should be- accorded the remaining
measures Of the program Of settle
mert and regulation which I had oc-
CASTOR to recommend to you at the
close of your last session in view Of
the public dangers disclosed by the
unaccommodated difficulties which
then existed, and which still unhap-
PLY continue to exist, between the
railroads Of the country and their To-
connective engineers. conductors and
trainmen. US ~
II then recommended:
First immediate provision for the
enlargement and administrative reor-
ganization OF the Interstate Com
merce Commission along the lines
embodied In the bill recently passed
by the House Of Representatives and
now awaiting action by the Senate;
in order that the Commission may
be enabled TO deal with the many
great and various duties now devolv
ing upon 1t with q promptness and
thoroughness which are, with its
present constitution and means OF ac-
ton, pra ctically impossible.
second, the eSIdDIS0mcuL OF an
eight-.our day as the legal basis alike
Of work and OF wages In the employ
ment Of all railway employees who are
actually engaged in the work Of oper-
ating trains in interstate transporta-
ton.
Third, the authorization OF the APP
pointment by the President OF small
body of men to observe. the actual re-
suits in experience Of the adoption of
the eight-hour day in railway trans
portation alike for the men and for
the railroads.
Fourth, explicit approval by the
Congress Of the consideration by the
Interstate Commerce Commission Of
an increase Of freight rates to meet
such additional expenditures by the
railroads as may have been render
eight-hou day and which have not
been offset by administrative read
justments and economies, should the
facts disclosed justify the increase.
Fifth, an amendment Of the exist
ing federal statute which provides
for the mediation, Cancellation, and
arbitration of such controversies as
the present by adding to it a provision
that. in case the methods Of accom-
mediation now provided for should
fail, full public investigation OF the
instituted and completed before
strike or lockout may lawfully be at
tempted.