The daily Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1916-1917, 1916-08-31
THE WILSON PLAN

President wilson's recommenda
tions to congress regarding the acute
conflict which threatens to result in /
railroad strike constitute a mCSt
comprehensive plan for the compo
sition of difficulties between capital
and labor They may well be restated
in the Missourian as of historic inter
est and immediate Importance.
The President made six specific rec
concentrations to Congress:
"First-Immediate provision fol
the enlargement and administrative
reorganization of the Interstate Com
merce Commission along the lines en-
bodied 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 now devolving up
on it with a promptness and thor
Oughness which are with its present
constitution and means of action prac-
tically impossible.
"Second-The establishment of an
eight-hour day as the legal basis
alike of work and wage in the en-
ployment of all railway employees
who are actually engaged in the work
of operating trains in interstate trans
portation.
''Third-The authorization of the
appointment by the President of a
small body of men to observe the ac-
tual results in experience of the eight
hour day in railroad transportation
alike for the men and for the railroad;
its effects in the matter of operating
costs, in the application of the eX
isting practices and agreements to
the new conditions and in all other
practical aspects, with the provision
that the investigators shall report
their conclusions to the Congress at
the earliest possible date, but with
out recommendation as to legislative
action, in order that the public may
learn from an unprejudiced source
just what actual developments have
ensued.
"Fourth-The explicit approval by
the Congress of the consideration by |
the Interstate Commerce Commission !
of an increase of freight rates to meet
such additional expenditures by the 1
railroads as may have been rendered
necessary by the adoption of the eight
hour day and which have not been off.
set by administrative readjustment
and economics, should the facts JUS
tify the increase
"Fifth-Amendment of the exist
ing Federal statute, which provides
for the mediation, Cancellation and ar
bitratiOn of such controversies as the
present by adding to it a provision
that in case the methods of accommo-
dation now provided for should fail,
full public investigation of the merits
of every such dispute shall be insti-
tuted and completed before strike
or lockout may lawfully be attempted.
And
"Sixth-The Judgement in the
hands of the Executive of the power,
in the case of military necessity, to
take control of such portions and such
rolling stock of the railways of the
country as may be required for mill
tary use and to operate them for mil
itary purposes, with authority to draft
into the military service of the Unit
ed States such train crews and ad-
officials as the circum-
stances require for their safe anf eff
icient use"
The first recommendation, if enact
I'd into law, would make the Inter
tate Commission effective in enforcing
he decisions which it is permitted
% announce. The second would es-
ablish the eight-hour working day.
The third would provide means for
lnding out the results of the eight
lour day. The fourth would give ap-
'roval for consideration of measures
meet by increase of rates or other
wise new conditions arising from an
'lght-hour day. The fifth makes
triKe or lockout unlawful until after