The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-09-02

Washington, Sept Prevention
of the threatened railroad strike
through an act of Congress seemed
assured last night, after the House by
an overwhelming vote had passed the
Adamson eight-hour-day law and the
Senate had agreed to take final vote
no the measure not later than 6
o'clock this evening.
Although it is possible that Senate
amendments may make conferences
necessary, it is generally believed on
both sides of the capitol that when the
test comes, the House bill as it stands
will be accepted and rushed to
Shadow Lawn, n. j., for President
Wilson's signature.
While no formal announcement
were forthcoming from the employees
brotherhoods last night, it is authori-
tatiyely stated that this will result
| in immediate dispatch of code mes
sages calling off the general strike
| ordered for Monday morning.
The Adamsson bill as passed in the
House by vote of 239 to Sc, with
| minor amendments, is the same meas
ure which the brotherhood leaders of
| ficially declared Thursday would con-
| stitute satisfactory settlement and
prevent the strike. The amendments
added TO conform to draft framed
by the Senate interstate commerce
committee, would fix the effective
date January | instead of December
/, 1916, and exempt railroads less than
100 miles long and electric street and
interburan lines. Briefly, it pro-
| vides:
| That eight hours shall be deemed a
days work and the standard for
reckoning compensation of railroad
employees operating trains in inter
state commerce after January /,
| 1917, and,
That commission of three appoint.
ed by President Wilson shall investi.
gate the effects of the eight-hour
standard from six to nine months and
then report to Congress, present
wages not to be reduced during the
investigation or for 30 days thereafter
and overtime to be paid at a pro rata
rate
1t was after a day of hot debate that
the House passed the bill. under a
special rule brought in when Repub,
lican Leader Mann objected to its con
sideration. Less than half of the re,
publicans followed their floor leader
in the opposition, and when the final
vote came 10 of them lined up with
the majority. while only Sc voted
against the measure Just two demo
Gratis, Representatives Steele of Penn
| sylyania and Black OF Texas. stood
out against the bill, and Representa-
tive London of New York, the only
socialist. voted for it.
Red tape was eliminated as far as
possible to rush the measure over tC
the Senate. which after several hours
of lively discussion over a bill report
ed by its interstate commerce com
mttee, had recessed until o'clock
When the Senate reconvened tn,
House legislation was there awatins
action.
The Senate committee bill. drafted
during a late session Thursday nigh
and another yesterday morning wai
the Adamson measure with the sam,
amendments adopted yesterday by tn,
House and an added section empow
ering the interstate commerce com
: mission to fix the wakes OF interstate
railroad employees at the end of tn,
! proposed period OF investigation ant
: thereafte,.
At the outset of the night session
. Senator Newlands sought and oh
} tanned unanimous consent to put asid
e the Senate bill and take up the on
sent over from the House. thereh
paving the way for quick final actio
4 without parliamentary lormalitie
, that otherwise would be necessary
4 Then Senator Underwood brought u
$ the issue over which the Senate /
4 divided by proposing as an amend
ment the rate fixing provision of tn
:, discarded Senate bill.
over this amendment debate wage
o for three hours. Senaifrs Newland
!. and Underwood advocating 1t an
4 Senator Cummins making lon
speech criticizing the whole proceed
Y ing. Most of the senators had littl
to say. and in the cloakrooms ther
| were strong intimatons that the res
.. son for this was the general convi,
Il tion that iH the end the House bi
would go through without change