Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-12-14

Simple anu III .SDlIe. ItSpcCJS" EHOEe
nearly routine document than any
message Mr. Wilson has sent to
Congress. j.. ILL., II
Il does, however carry important
recommendations on the Interstate
Commerce Commission and the Adam
son eignt-hour law
The president, speaking to the two
houses Jointly assembled on December
| 5, said: -.." .~ ~:
Gentlemen of the Congress:
In fulfilling at this time the duty
laid upon me 10y the Constitution of
communicating to you from time TO
time information of the state of the
Union and recommending TO your con-
sider9tiOn such legislative measures
as may be judged necessary and ex-
pedient shall continue the practise,
which | hope mas been acceptable to
YOU, Of leaving to the reports of the
several heads of the executive depart
ments the elaboration of the detailed
needs Of the public service and con-
fine myself to those matters of more
general public policy with which it
seems Necessary and feasible to deal
realize the limitations of time I'M
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
be time to complete and which it
seems necessary in the interest of the
public to do at once
THE RAILROAD SITUATION
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 &C.
casion to recommend to you at the
close Of your last session in view OF
the public dangers disclosed by the
unaccommodated difficulties which
then existed, and which still unhap-
PLY continue to exist, between the
railroads of the country and their loco
motive engineers, conductors and
trainmen.
/ then recommended:
First, immediate provision for the
enlargement and administrative reor-
ganization of the Interstate Commerce
Commission along the lines embodied
in the hill recently passed by the.
house of representatives and now
awaiting action by the senate; in or
der that the commission may be en-
abled 10 deal with the many great
and various duties now deVolving upon
it with promptness and thorough
ness which are, with its present con-
stitution and means Of action, practi-
cally impossible.
Second, the establishment of an
eight-nour day as the legal basis alike
ment Of ell railway employees who are
actually engaged in the work of OPP
Grating trains in an interstate trans
portatiur.
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 eignt-hour day in railway trans
portion alike for the men and for the
railroads.
FREIGHT Rate INCREASE
Fourth, explicit approval by the Con-
gress of the consideration by the
Interstate Commerce Commission of
an increase of freight rates to meet
such additional expenditures by the
railroads as may have been rendered
necessary by the adoption of the eight
hour day and which have not been
offset 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, Cancellation and arbi-
tration of such controversies as the
present by adding to it a provision
that, in case the methods of accommo-
dalton now provided for should fail, a
full ,pu5l:c 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 case of military necessity, to take
control of such portions and such roll
ing stock of the railways 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.
The second and third of these rec
concentrations the Congress immedi-
ately acted ont established the
eight-nour day as the legal basis of
work and wages in train service and
it authorized the appointment OF
commission to observe and report upon
the practical results, deeming these
the measures most Immediately need
ed; but it postponed action upon the
other suggestions until an opportunity
should be offered for more deliber-
ate consideration of them. The fourth
recommendation | do rot deem it ne
cessary to renew. The power of the
Interstate Commerce Commission to
grant an increase of rates on the
ground referred TO is indisputably
clear and a recommendation by the
Congress with regard to such mat
ter might seem to draw in question