Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1916-12-09
WILSON'S MESSAGE
TO The CONGRESS
Senate and House in Joint SeS-
sion Hear Address of
the President.
HE MAKES few SUGGESTIONS
Further Legislation for Settlement and
Regulation of Railway Labor Dis
putes Held imperativefy Neces-
ssry by the chief Magistrate.

sary by the chief Magistrate.
Washington, Dec. 5-The senate
and house met in joint session today
and heard President Wilson's message,
which was as follows:
! Gentlemen of the Congress:
In fulfilling at this time the duty laid
upon me by the Constitution of COM
municating TO you from time to time
! information Of the state of the Union
/ and recommending to your conSidera-
} ton such legislative measures as may
/ be Judged necessary and eXpedient |
/ shall continue the practice, which |
hone has been acceptable to you, of
/ leaving 10 the reports of the several
/ heads of the executive departments the
/ elaboration of the detailed needs Of
/ the public service and contine myself
/ TO those matters of more general pub
! lie policy with which it seems neces-
/ Sary and feasible TO deal at the pres
I emf session of the congress.
| realize the limitations of time I'M
der which you will necessarily act at
.
gestionS as few as possible: but there
were some things left undone at the
last session which there will now be
time To- complete and which it seems
necessary in the Interest of the public
to do at once.
In the first place, 1t seems to me i'm
peratively necessary that the earliest
possible consideration and action
should be accorded the remaining
measures of the program of settle
ment and regulation which had occa-
sion to recommend to you at the close
of your last session in view of the pub
lie dangers disclosed by the unaccOm-
mOdated difficulties which then existed.
and which still unhappily continue TO
exist, between the railroads of the
country and their locomotive engineers,
conductors. and trainmen.
Railway Troubles First.
then recommended:
First, immediate provision for the
enlargement and administrative reOr-
ganizatiOn of the Interstate commerce
commission along the lines embodied
in the bill recently passed by the house
Of representatives and now awaiting
commission may be enabled to deal
with the many great and various duties
now devolving upon IL with prompt
ness and thorOughneSS which are with
its present constitution and means of
action. practically impossible.
Second, the establishment Of an
eight-hour day as the legal basis alp
Of work and of wages In the empI 4
ment Of all railway employees who are
actually engaged in the work Of 0per-
ating trains in interstate transporta-
ton.
Third. the authorization Of the an
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 con-
gress Of the consideration by the in
terstate commerce commission of an
increase of freight rates to meet such
additional expenditures by the rail
roads as may have been rendered nee
eSsary by the adoption Of the eight
hour day and which have not been of
set by administrative establishments
and economies. should the facts dis
! closed Justify the increase.
Fifth. an amendment of the existing
federal statute which provides for the
mediation, Cancellation, and arbitration
/ Of such controversies as the present
/ by adding to it provision that. in case
/ the methods of accommodation now
/ provided for should fail, full public
| Investigation of the merits of every
such dispute shall be instituted and
completed before a strike or lockout
may lawfully be attempted.
And, sixth, the Judgment in the
hands of the executive Of the power,
in case Of military necessity, to take
control of such portions and such roll
ing stock Of the railroads Of the cOun-
try as may be required for military
use and to operate them for military
purposes. with authority to draft into
the military service Of the United
States such train crews and admins
trative officials as the circumstances
require for their safe and efficient use.
Renews His Accommodations.
The second and third of these rec
concentrations the congress Immediate
ly acted on 1t established the eight
hour day as the legal basis of work
and wages in train service and 1t au.
thoriZed the appointment OF a com.
mission to observe and report upon the
practical results, deeming these the
measures most Immediately needed
Unusual Experience.