The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-09-06
The Eight-Hour Day Bill
Passed BY Congress.
THE SENATE PASSES MEASURE
With Vote Almost Along Party
Lines-BrOtherhOOd Heads
Revoke WaIkOut.
EFFORTS TO AMEND NO AVAIL

Washington, Sept. 2.-The threat
of a general railroad strike, which
has been hanging like a pail over
the country, for month. was lifted
tonight.
Three hours after the Senate had
passed without amendment the Ad-
amson Eight-Hour-Day Bill, passed
by the House yesterday, the heads
Of the four great railroad employees
brotherhoods telegraphed six hum
dred odd code messages to their gen.
eral chairmen in all parts Of the
country cancelling the strike order
issued week ago to take effect next
Monday morning at o'clock.
The legislative expedient to avert
the strike was passed in the Senate
by a vote of 43 to 2S-almost
strict party vote-amid stirring
scenes, after many Senators. Demo-
Gratis and Republicans, had fought
desperately to amend the measure
by provisions designed to prevent
industrial disasters in the future.
Some Senator'S. thoroughly aroused,
declared Congress was being coerced
into enactment of legislation that it
did not desire and that it knew
would return to plague it in the fu-
ture. ~
Kentucky's two Senators were
champions of the Eight-Hour Bill.
Senator James was at Shadow Lawn
notifying the President of his re-
nomination when the final vote was
taken, and although necessarily alb
sent. he was paired with a Repub-
lican Senator, who opposed the bill.
II was announced in the Senate that
if Senator James were present he
would have voted for the measure.
Senator Beckham supported the bill.
In both Houses the measure was
signed within a few minutes after
gthe final vote in the Senate, and it
was sent at once to the White
House, where President Wilson will
sign it at 1880 o'clock tomorrow
morning, after, his return from
Ahadow Lawn. officials of the
brotherhoods who witnessed the
final passage of the bill. had an
nounced early in the night that can
collation. of the strike would not be
ordered until the bill had been sign
ed by the President and actually had
become law. But later they con-
ferred, changed their minds and
flashed the code messages signaling |
to the waiting trainmen the message /
that satisfactory settlement had
been secured.
The bill that stopped the strike !
provides that after January 1, 1917,
eight hours shall be regarded as
basis of reckoning for days pay of
men engaged in the operation Of
railroad trains in interstate COM
merce excepting roads less than
100 miles long and electric lines)
that they shall receive pro rata pay
for work in excess of eight hours,
and that their rate of compensation
shall not be changed pending an in
vestlgation for from six to nine
months of the effect of the eight
hour day upon the railroads by a
commission to be appointed by the
President.
Efforts TO amend the bill in the
Senate were futile. the supreme eff
forts to alter it having been led by
Senator Underwood. who sought to
provide that the Interstate Com |
merce Commission should have pow
er to fix railroad wages aud hour of
service In the future. This amend
ment was defeated by vote of 81
to IA.
Only two Democrats. Senators
of Georgia, and Clark, OF
voted against the bill. and
one Republican. La Toilette. of Wis
consin. voted for it,
Railroad officials have declared
Nat the action of Congress will cost {
them s6O,00O. 900 a. year in increas-
ed wages to the traipmen. Brother
hood officials say the enactment will 9
mean not more than an an
nual increase of $20.000,00o. !
In Congress and among the railroad I
officials there has existed doubt a. {