The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-09-04
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4. 1916.
STRIKE rs AVERTED.

AS forecasted by this paper, there VIII De
no strike. The cloud that threatened star
walton. business desolation, industrial par
alysis, war itself, has been dissipated with
the passage of the Adamson bill accepting
the eight hour day, as approved by Wilson,
to begin January /, at the same compensa-
ton as now, but without penahz1ng over
time; and providing for commission to
investigate the effects of the elght-hour
standard and report to congress.
In reducing the legislation to its bare
essentials, everything that might provoke
debate and prolong discussion was elm
mated The proposal to raise the freight
rates was omitted, the Canadian commits
sion plan was not mentioned, nor was
there any reference to government opera
ton The object was not to cure an eco
nomic condition, but to avert calamity,
and the bill, as Congressman Adamson
himself says, is merely a stop-gap to pre-
serve ssthe status quo until commission
can Investigate the dispute between the
two classes of our servants. Afterwards we
Z will make complete and adequate regula-
ton, taking care of the interests of both
classes of our servants, and doing justice
to the people"
Does this mean that wages, as well as
freight rates, are to be fixed by the Inter
state Commerce Commissionf Can any
other means of preventing strikes in the
future be found? A provision was drafted
empowering the Interstate Commerce
Commission definitely at this time to fix
wages, but the time was too limited to
bring it up for full discussion; but that a
aff1 he do 10 IL
into law after the election, be the Republi-
cans or the Democrats victorious, needs
no prophet to forecast. The text of the
provision is given as follows:
THAT the interstate c o m m e ce commission
shall have the power to fix the hours of labor
and prescribe just and reasonable wages for all
employees of the railroads. The rate of
wages and the hours of labor provided for in this
act shall remain fixed for service and pay until
changed by the decision of the interstate
nnerce commission, which within period of not
less than six nor more than twelve months from
the passage of this act, shall determine what
just and reasonable wages and what shall be the
hours Of labor for all employees of the railroads
mentioned
ssThe interstate commerce commission shall
have the power from time to time TO change the
hours of labor and the rate of wages for all en-
ployes of the railroads either in whole
in part, prescribed by it its initiative
the petition of the employees, the managers of the
railroads the public"
Unless some such provision is intended,
why provide for congressional investiga-
ton of the eight-hour law? If time and a
half overtime is given upon the recon-
mendation of the investigating committee,
will not the brotherhoods be tacitly &C
cepting the principle implied?
Whatever the outcome, the issue is no
longer in the hands Of private individuals
1t is in the governments hands. The gov
eminent, in seeking solution, must con-
slider not only the rights of labor, not only
the rights of capital, but it must consider
the rights of an element mightier than
both-the rights of the people at large.
Never again must such a peril threaten
Labor has gained great victory in the
present controversy, and there is no doubt
but that the investigation will establish the
justice of the eight-hour day, and let u:
= hope that it will also prove there is no neee
of freight increase to Offset the extra ex
pense But future increases in wages car
be met only by an increased tariff, which
is a burden the people must bear, and as ths
people are protected against overcharges
by capital on the one hand, the government
appears to be considering whether they
should not be protected against over
charges by labor on the other