The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1916-12-05
DOMESTIC SUBJECTS DEALT
WITH BY PRESIDENT WILSON
Annual Address to Congress Today Devoted to
Recommendations for Legislation to Better
Conditions Here at Home.

concentrated action of powerful bodies
of men shall not be permitted to stop
the industrial processes Of the nation
at any rate before the nation shall
have had an opportunity to acquaint
itself with the merits of the case be.
tween employee and employer, time to
form it's opinion upon an impartial
statement of the merits, and oppor-
tunity to consider all practical means
of conciliation or arbitration. can
see nothing in that proposition but
the justifable safeguarding by socie-
ty of the necessary processes of its
very life. There is nothing arbitrary
or unjust in it unless it be arbitrary
and unjustly done. It can and should
be done with full and scrupulous re-
gard for the interests and liberties
OF all concerned as well as for the per-
manent interests of society ITSELF"
The Presidents Address.
Gentlemen of the Congress-:
In fulfillment at this time the duty
laid upon me by the Constitution of
communicating to you from time to
time information of the state of the
Union and recommending to your con-
sideration such legislative measures
as may be Judged necessary and ex-
pedient l shall continue the practice,
which l hope has been acceptable to
you, of leaving to the reports of the
several heads Of the executive depart
ments the elaboration of the detailed
needs of the public service and confine
myself to those matters of more gen.
eral public policy which it seems nee
essary and feasible to deal at the
present session Of the Congress.
realize the limitations of time un-
ler which you will necessarily act at
his session and shall make my sug-
yestions as few as possible; but there
we're some things left undone at the |
asst session which there will now be
lime to complete and which it seems |
necessary in the interest Of the public
% do at once.
In the first place, it seems to me
mperatively necessary that the ear
lest possible consideration and action
hould be accorded the remaining
measures of the programme of set
lement and regulation which I had
ccasion to recommend to you at the
lose of your last session in view of
he public dangers disclosed by the
accommodated difficulties which
hen existed, and which still unhap-
lily continue to exist, between the
of theconutry and their loco
lotive engineers, conductors, and
rainmen.
I then recommended:
First, immediate provision for the
Enlargement and administrative reor-
of the Interstate Com
lerce Commission along the lines en-
odied in the bill recently passed by
,e House Of Representatives and now
waiting action by the Senate; in or
er that the Commission may be en- q
bled to deal with the many great
nd various duties now devolving up 7
A it with a promptness and thorough
ess which are, with it's present con- v
itution and means Of action, practi-
lily impossible.
Second, the establishment of an
ght-hour day as the legal basis alike
work and of wages in the employ
ent of all railway employees who
.e actually engaged in the work Of
,erating trains in interstate trans
,rtation.
Third, the authorization of the ap- q
ointment by the President of small u
'dy Of men to observe the actual re- v
its in experience of the adoption Of v
e eight-hour day in railway trans 0
'rtation alike for the men and for .
q railroads. .
Fourth, explicit approval by Con- a
'ess of the consideration by the In =
rstate Commerce Commission Of an IL
crease Of freight rates to meet such "
ditional expenditures by the rail- v
ads as may have been rendered 9
cessary by the adoption Of the :, :,
ght-hour day and which have not y
en- offset by administration read e e
stments and economics, should the VI
cts disclosed justify the increase. o.
Fifth, an amendment of the exist W
9 federal statute which provides for 81
e mediation, conciliation, and ar
ration of such controversies as the q q
esent by adding to it provision '.
at, in case the methods Of accom- la
,dation now provided for should fail a.
full public investigation Of the mer- N
Of every such dispute shall be in q! a.
tuted and completed before strike y
lockout may lawfully be attempted. q
And, sixth, the Judgement in the IN
nds Of the Executive Of the power, :
caseof military necessity, to take
ntrol Of such, portions and such roll y
! stock Of the railwoys Of the conu- ~
|, as may be required for military Dl
9 and to operate them for military 9
rposes, with authority to draft into III