Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-09-02

onment not exceeding one year, or
both.
Senator Reed declared that If the
provision to give authority to the In
! terstate Commerce commission to fix
wages and hours OF service we're not
abandoned, the bill could not be pass
ed in time TO avert the strike. To
pass the provision, he said, would, in
stead Of stopping the strike, absolutely
force it.
Under a special rule providing for
vote not later than $3.50 this after
noon, the house took up the Adamson
eight hour day bill approved by Pres
ident Wilson and accepted by BROTH.
erhood leaders as a Satisfactory set
| Element
The senate Interstate commerce
committee reported similar bill,
which, however, contains an impor-
tant provision empowering the Inter
state Commerce commission to fix
schedules OF wages on interstate
railways. 1t provides that the eight
hour day shall become effective jan
uary l., 1917; that the present pay for
the ten-hour day shall apply to the
shorter day; that overtime shall be
paid pro rata, but adds that within not
less than six and not more than
twelve months after its passage the
Interstate Commerce commission
shall assume jurisdiction Of the qucs-
ton or hours and wages and that they
shall be subject to petition for change
from either the employers, the en-
ployes and the public.
Text of New Section.
The text Of that provision follows:
That the Interstate Commerce
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 pro-
vided for in this act shall remain
fixed for service and pay until
changed BY the decision OF the In
terstate Commerce commission, which
within a period Of not less than six
or more than twelve months from
the passage of this act shall deter
mine what are Just and reasonable
wages and what shall be the hours
OF labor for employees Of the railroads
above mentioned.
1.-THE Interstate Commerce commits
sion shall have the power from time
to time to change the hours OF labor
and the rate OF wages for all en-
ploycs of the railroads
either in whole or in part, prescribed
BY it on its own initiative on the pc
tition OF the employees, the managers
OF the railroads or the public
The possibility for hitch seemed
to be in this added provision which
is being studied by the brotherhood
leaders.
Freight Raise Eliminated.
The committee eliminated the pro-
posal that on the report Of the eight
hour day commission the Interstate
Commerce commission shall consider
an increase OF freight rates to meet
such additional expenditures by the
railroads affected as may have been
rendered necessary by the adoption OF
the eight-hour day."
Neither OF the two pending bills
contain the Canadian commission plan
which the labor leaders oppose, and
neither contains the government oper-
alton provision. President Wilson IS
willing to let those feasures wait until
after enough legislation to avert the
strike has been enacted. Republicans
decided today to frame bill OF their
own and offer IL as substitute for
the administration plan. A commit
tee was appointed to draft it. No
serious opposition to the administra-
ton plan was expected, however.
President Wilson told members Of
his cabinet at today's meeting that
there was every prospect that the leg
islation would be passed by both
houses of congress before tomorrow
night.
Bill Reported to House.
The Adamson bill was favorably |
by the house interstate COM
merce committee, which amended il |
to make the eight-hour provisions eff
fective January |, next, instead of
December !, and so as to exempt cleo
trio railways.
The bill was Immediately reported
to the house, which met at II o'clock.
the rules committee held a
and, withou. any changes,
favorably reported the Kitchin rule
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES