Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-10

Let the bill be called by its right
name. What is fair and right can af-
ford 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
bill fixes an eight-hour workday? Man
ifestly. in order to endeavor to justify
this extraordinary action Of the Ad-
ministration in its abject and humili
ating surrender of principle in demand
ing and securing this legislation with
, out any proper inquiry. as the price of
peace. Evidently, it is felt that a wage
increase could not be justified in this
manner. So it is sought to give the
impression that what was done was to
fix an eight-hour workday and that
this was already approved by the judg-
ment of society. A shameless perver
sion! Even as an eight-hour Workday
the judgment of society has never been
passed on its application to railroads
with their road divisions and tours Of
duty. The railroad employees them
selves would desire to be heard on this
point. If there were any such judg-
ment of society, why did the Admin
istration limit the application of the
bill to these particular employees. Is
not the eight-hour work day quite as
important for eighty per cent as for
twenty per cent What becomes of the
suggestion that the eight-hour work
day was granted not because it was
demanded, but because it was right?
On this assumption. why not grant it
to all railroad employees? Is there any
special judgment of, society for the
twenty per cent: the more highly paid?
Why does the bill except electric rail-
roads and those railroads which are
less than 100 miles in length? If the
Administration was giving effect to
the Judgment of society why did it not
pass the measure at the beginning OF
the Administration, or certainly year
ago? The President says that the
matter was agitated for over a year.
We might at least expect the so-called
Judgment Of society discovered by the
Administration to appear in the Demo-
cratic Platform. The answer is that
we are not dealing with any judgment
of society. or with an eight-hour work.
day. but with an increase Of wages, as
to the justice of which neither society
nor the Administration has any infor-
ma ton.
l may add that hasty legislation is
likely to carry with it unwelcome sur
Drises. If eight hours is to be a
measure or standard of a days work.
for the purpose of reckoning the COM
pensation to be paid, how are those
men left who complete the prescribed
number of miles in less than eight
hours? Have they any assurance, if
they are to be paid under this bill on
a basis Of hours, that they will be paid
on a basis of miles when they work
less than eight hours? And how will a
rigid eight-hour basis of pay affect
present guarantees? There is much
food for thought is this legislation not
only on the part of those for whom it
does not provide, but on the part Of
those to whom it expressly refers.
Tie Republican Party has not been
opposed to the principle of an eight
hour workday. Many years ago a Re-
publican Congress provided that eight
hours should constitute a days work
for laborers. workmen and mechanics
employed by the United States. In
1892. it was provided that all laborers
and mechanics employed by the United
States, by the District Of Columbia, or
by any contractor or sub-contractor,
upon any Of the public works Of the
United States, or with the District Of
Columbia, should be limited to eight
hours work a day and employment for
a longer period was punishable by fine
or imprisonment or both. In -sO1, Con-
gress directed that in all irrigation
construction work eight hours should
constitute days work. In 1912. pro-
vision was made that letter carriers
in the city delivery service and clerks
IN second class postof1ces should not