Tombstone epitaph., 1916-12-10
CONGRESS HEARS
 WILSON'S MESSAGE
Presidents Address to Both
 Houses Is Quite Short.
RAIL TROUBLES COME FIRST
Further Legislation on That Line is Strongly Recommended-sili Civ ing Foreign Commerce Promo
 ters Free Hand Necessary

ters Free Hand Necessary.
 Washington. Dec. 5.-President Will son today delivered his message to both houses of congress in joint ses- sion. The address was as follows:
 Gentlemen of the Congress:
 In fulfilling at this time the duty laid upon me by the Constitution of com municating to you from time to time information of the state of the Union and recommending to your cOnsidera- tion such legislative measures as may be judged necessary and expedient l shall continue the practice, which hope has been acceptable 10 you. of leaving to the reports of the several heads of the executive departments the elaboration of the detailed needs of the public service and confine myself to those matters of more general pub lie policy with which it seems neces- sary and feasible to deal at the pres ent session of the congress-
 l realize the limitations of time un- der which you will necessarily act at this session and shall make my sug- gestions as few as possible: but there were some things left undOne at the last session which there will now he time to complete and which it 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 ment and regulation which 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 tralnmen.
 Railway Troubles First.
 I 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 now deyoIving upon if with a prompt ness and thorouChness which are. with its present constitution and means of action, practically impossible.
 Second. the establishment of an eight-hnur 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 tTansporta- ton.
 Third, the authorization of the ap- pointment by the president of 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 commerce commission of an increase of freight rates 10 meet such additional expenditures by the rail roads as may have been rendered nec- essary by the adoption of the eight hour day and which have not been off, set by administrative establishments and economies. should the facts dis closed justify the increase.
 Fifth. an amendment of the existing federal statute which provides for the mediation, conciliation, and arbitration cl Ha by adding to it provision that. in case the methods of accommodation now provided for should fail. full public investigation of the merits of every such dispute shall be instituted and completed before 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 military service of the United States such train crews and admins trative officials as the circumstances require for their safe and efficient use.
 Renews His Recommendation.
 The second and third of these rec concentrations the congress immediate iy acted on: 1t established the eight hour day as the legal basis of work and wages in train service and if au- thorized the appointment of a com mission to observe and report upon the practical results. deeming these the measures most immediately needed: but 1t postponed action upon the other suggestions until an opportunity should be offered for A more deliberate con alteration of them The fourth rec ommcndation I do not deem 1t neces- sary to renew. The powei of the in- .erstate commerce commission to grant an increase of rates on the ground re- ferred to Is indisputably clear and a recommendation by the congress with roDard ff. S.,cf. rnaffar uniohf m