The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1916-12-08
MESSAGE Of WILSON
PRESIDENT DELIVERS A SHORT
ADDRESS TO CONGRESS in
JOINT SESSION.
ASKS MORE RAILWAY LAWS
Calls for Early Action on Remaining
measures of His Program OF Settle.
ment and Regu!ation-other Legis.
lation That Is Advised.

washington, Dec. 5.-President Will
sons message, delivered to congress
III Joint session today, vas brief and
10 the point. The president said:
Gentlemen Of the Congress-:
In fulfilling at this time the duty laid
upon me by the Constitution of com
munlcatlng to you from time to time
information Of the state of the Union
ana recommending to your consilera-
tlon such legislative measures us may
De judged necessary and espedient l
Slall continue the practice, which l
nope has been acceptable to you, of
leaNlnS to the reports of the several
heads or the executive departments the
elaboration of the detailed needs of
the public service and confine myself
10 those matters of more general pub
nc policy with which it seems neces-
sary and feasible to deal at the pres
n session Of the congress-.
realize the limitations of time I'M
ger which You will necessarily act at
TINS session and shall make my sug-
Sestions as few us possible; but there
We're some things left undone at the
last session which there will now be
Ilne to complete and which 1t seems
necessary in the interest Of the public
to do at once.
In the first place, it 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
lnent n regulation which l 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
action by the senate; In order that the
commission may be enabled to deal
with the many great and various duties
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 alike
OF work and of wages in the employ
ment Of all railway employees who are
actually engaged in the work of oper-
ating trains In interstate transporta-
ton.
Third, the authorization Of the ap-
pointment by the president of a 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 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 beer Off
set by administrative establishments
and economies, should the facts dis
closed justify the increase.
Fifth, IN amendment of the existing
federal statute which provides for the
mediation, cancellations. and arbitration
Of such controversies as the present
by adding to it a provision that. in case
the methods Of accommodation now
provided for should fail, a 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 lodgment 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 IIlIIiliIy StlSlSC VI IN i
States such train crews and admins
~trative officials as the circumstance
require for their safe and efficient use.
Renews His Recommendations.
The second and third OF these rec
concentrations the congress Immediate
" acted on: it established the eight
hour day as the legal basis of work
and wages in train service and It au
,thorized the appointment OF a com
Anission to observe and report upon the
practical results, deeming these the
measures most Immediately needed
but It postponed action upon he other
The Years After Fifty.
When men pass the half-century