Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-10-09

i Newark, n. j., Oct. 9.-FolloWlng /!
the address which Charles E. Hughes
/ the republican candidate for president
delivered at public open-air meeting
1 here today to a large audience:
Il ana not opposed to the principle OF
an e:ght-hour work day. On the con-
trary. favor it. The general principle
Of the eight-hour work day IS that lin
iting labor to eight hours promotes
| health, happiness and efficiency. 1t no,
only frees from excessive strain, bu,
gives opportunity for education, fol-
enjoyment, for the pleasant and prof
| liable resources of leisure. The whole
point is the limitation of hours OF labor
that man shall work eight hours and
no longer. The Adamson bill does not
provide that. 1t is a mere pretense to
! say that it does. 1t does not limit
hours: it-simply regulates pay. 1t is a
wage bill.
Let us look at the text of the act. 1t
provides that eight hours, shall, in
contracts for labor and service be
deemed days work and the measure
or standard of a days work for the
purpose of reckoning the compensation
for services. of the employees mention
ed. That is the only purpose-the pur-
pose of reckoning compensation.
There is no limit to hours of work.
Then, again, it is provided that pend
ing the report of the commission and
for thirty days thereafter. the COM
pensation of railway employees subject
to this act for a standard eigh- hour
work day shall not be reduced below
the present standard days wage, and
for all necessary time in excess of
eight hours such employees shall be
paid at a rate not less than prorata
rate for such standard eight hour
work day There is no fixing Of hours
Of work; there is no prohibition of
working more than eight hours. The
reference to eight hours is solely to fix
the wage scale. AS Senator Under
wood said in the course of the debate
in the senate, replying to another SEN
ator:
"If the senator would go and con-
suit with any of the gentlemen who
represent the employees, and who have
been contending here in this matter.
they would tell him candidly. as they
told me, that the question is question
VI "d6Ss ShaS SAiSs oAC NV SohtSho-
ing for an eight hour day. that man
not want that
Depends on Conditions.
PLAINLY. whether there should be at
this time an eight-hour work day in
4 particular employment depends on
the conditions CO the: employment.
Some empIoyments are readily adjust
ed to il and others are not. Railroads
are not like ordinary industries. 1t
was not suggested that it was prac-
ticable to put in a true eight-hour day
on railroads. Indeed, the contrary was
concede. aRilroad runs are made to
division points. Men select their
homes accordingly. The time of act
ual service may be more or less than
eight hours. This has not been
changed: it was not intended that it
should be changed. The change Is in
the wage scale, not in the hours of
labor Railroad wage schedules We're
based on hours and miles; that is, ten
hours and 100 miles. If a man made
his 100 miles in less than ten hours,
that is. in four hours. he got days
pay. Ii it took him twelve hours, for
example. he got days pay and two
hours overtime. Now. the change was
not to limit or alter the hours of
labor, but to pay on the basis of eight
hours instead of ten hours. 1t is a
mere increase of wages by fixing diff
ferent basis for calculating wages.
Service over eight hours is not pro-
hibited. 1t is not penaiized. No PEN
atty is provided for permitting any one
to work longer time. On the con-
trary, such work is evidently contem-
plated. The railroad runs must be
completed In any case. and, under this
bill. all service over eight hours is
simply to be paid for prorata. The bill
says that for all necessary time in ex-
cess of eight hours such employees shall
be paid at a rate not less than the
y; orata rate for such standard eight
hour work days There is no increas-
ed rate for additional hours.
Not an Eight Hour Bill.
ut is. therefore. wholly misleading to
refer to this bill as an eight-hour BILL
Let the bill be called by it's right name
WHAT is fair and right can afford to be
described correctly and can stand on
it's merits.
What is the purpose Of this attempt
to make the public believe that this
l>,r