Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1916-09-14

ident Wilson at Oil a. N. Sunday
signed the railroad eight-hour bill,
which was rushed through congress
in the successful effort to avert the
threatened railroad strike.
At 7:10 the train bearing the presi-
dent, with Mrs. Wilson and other
members Of his party, had pulled In
to Union Station from Shadow Lawn,
N. j., where Mr. Wilson formally &C.
copied the nomination Of the Demo
cratic party for another four years
service in the White House.
At 1890 o'clock his train pulled
out again, this time for HOdgenville,
Kentucky, where he accepted on be-
half Of the government, the humble
birthplace home Of Abraham Lincoln.
In the interval between his arrival
and departure the president preferred
to sign the measure at the station
rather than go to the White House.
Four gold pens-one for each sylla-
BILE of his full name-were used in at
fixing the signature, and one of these
pens will go to each Of the heads OF
the four great railroad brotherhoods.
Settlement only Temporary.
But though dissipated for the pres
ent, the strike clouds are not alto
gether removed from the horizon. The
arrangement at present is merely
temporary.
On the one hand the railroad COM
panies are preparing to attack the
constitutionality of the law in the
courts. On the other there exists the
possibility the commission to be Gre
ated under the new law may convince
congress that the eight-hour day may
not operate permanently in practice
without removing the stipulation re-
quiring the 10-hour standard of pay,
or without an increase in freight
rates.
The eight-hour law settlement, as
made by congress, lays upon the rail
roads a heavier burden than they
would have sustained through an &C
ceptance of the terms offered by
President Wilson, but which they re-
jected. President Wilson's plan would
have applied only to engineers, fire
men, conductors and trainmen on
freight trains. The bill as passed by
congress and signed by the president
prescribes the eight-hour day for all
employees on trains engaged in inter
state commerce. This means, of
course, that the government has pre-
scribed the eight-hour day for passen-
ger as well as freight workers. 1t
means, also, according to the labor
chiefs, that the army Of negro train
men in the South, excluded from the
negotiations for the eight-nour day as
conducted by the brotherhoods, are
also included. It means that tele-
graphers and switchmen, labor lead
ers say, are included as we'll.
Furthermore, while the negotia-
lions between the four brotherhoods
and the conference committee of man
ayers were conducted on behalf Of
225 railroad systems, the eight-hour
law applies as we'll to the rs systems
engaged in interstate commerce
which were not represented by the
conference committee. These 70
roads constitute, it is estimated, one
fifth of the total railway mileage of
the country.
A lingering fear of warfare still
clings to the brotherhoods.
Though reasonably confident the
eight-hour bill, now a law, means a
year of peace on the rail lines, broth
erhood men frankly said there will
be a strike If the transportation
chiefs ever try to restore the ten
hour system.
They thought the railroads may
test the constitutionality Of the meas
ure which President Wilson signed,
but If the courts deem it unconstitu-
tional and then the lines thy to re-
vert to 10 hours, the strike threat of
recent weeks will be renewed.
The more optimistic say the wage
commission created by the eight-hour
law will find that the mems cause is
just. In this event. they say, the rail.
roads are scarcely likely to overturn
the law, constitutional or unconstitu
tional. Further, the fact that the
brotherhoods are ready and willing
to aid the lines in getting rate in
creases, If such are necessary, is ne
garded as a peace overture the roads
will not scorn.
w. G.. Lee, trainmen's leader, re
turned to Cleveland. He said;
Passage of the eight-hour bill will
aid not only the organized but also
tie unorganized laborers Of this coun
try. 1t Will show the latter what or
ganization can accomplish and it will
be the beginning Of universal eight
hour system"
In view of the fact that some per
sons have questioned the legality O.
a bill signed on Sunday, Presiden
Wilson again signed the document.
What the leading newspapers o.
the country think of the eight-houl
railroad law is shown in the follow
ing excerpts from editorials as con
tanned in dispatches.
Chicago Tribune Cnd. Rep); Fo
the first time in its history the con