New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-02

are just and reasonable wages and
what shall be the hours Of labor for all
employees of the railroads above men
toned
1.-THE Interstate Commerce Commits
sion shall have the power from time 10
time to change the hours Of labor and
the rate of wages for all employees OF
the railroads named in Section l OF
this act either in whole or in part, pre-
scribed by it on its own initiative, on
the petition of the employees, the man
ayers of the railroads or the public"
Some Features Dropped.
Senator Newlands, the sponsor Of the
Senate bill, said the committee had de
cided not to press the measure intended
TO enlarge the Interstate Commerce
Commission or the rate increase pro-
vision of the Presidents programme,
and had deferred action on the other
two suggestions of the President;
namely, the measure TO empower him
20 operate the roads in case of strike
and the amendments to the Newlands
act establishing a Board of Compulsory
Investigation.
Section g." said Senator Newlsnds,
referring 10 the Interstate Commerce
Commission provides that this power
to fix hours of labor and wages shall
not be exercised until after the period
Of this bill. Therefore, il does not in
terfere with the bill at all. IL was
added to the bill because the committee
felt that the future ought TO be safe
guarded. and that now was the time
TO DO IT,"
"Does the section relating to penal
ties apply to physical construction"
asked Senator Cummins, leader of the
Republican Progressive opposition 10
the bill, "or would it be construed 70
apply to employees who refused 10 ope-
rate trains?"
81 should regard that any such con-
dition as the latter" replied Senator
Newlands, would be involuntary servi-
tude"
Reed Objects to Both.
Senator Reed, of Missouri, objected
to both sections mentioned, and asked
why, If it was necessary to pass the
eight-hour provision of the act in order
to prevent a strike, should such sec
tons as these be injected to block
things. The sections, he maintained,
were absolutely revolutionary, and in
stead Of stopping the strike, the meas
ure with those included, would simply
force the strike. At this point Senator
Underwood rose to defend the section,
and spent the rest of the afternoon so
doing.
I'VE are proceeding by law" said
Senator Underwood, "to fix the wages
of 100000 men in the United States
without knowing the facts. But. Sena-
tors, the American people have the
- q tax,, 10
mand for an increase of % per cent in
wages may be right and it may be
wrong. There is not a man here who
has made an investigation or knows the
details. Yet we are going to-day 10
vote by legislative enactment to in
crease wages by % per cent without
knowing, on our part, what we are leg
islating.
81 am for the bill, and I intend to
vote for il. But how can justify that
except in one way? The people of the
United States are threatened with
debacle unlike anything that has oc-
Cured except the great war. Starva-
ton, distress, want, stare the people IN
the face if it is allowed take place. !
am willing to admit that ! am legslat-
ing without knowing in order TO BRING
peace. industrial peace, to the homes
Of the people of the nation. So far as
am concerned this is a better way. The
President tried to stop the debacle. He
was unsuccessful 1t is idle for US 10
consider whose fault it was that he
failed.
Why Wilson Accepted.
"The President was told that the
terms of not striking would be ten
hours wage for eight hours work
nothing more, nothing less. The Pres
ident of the United States accepted. We
accent them. The representatives Of
the other side refused to accept them.
We're going TO make il law that for
six months the eight-hour basis be
tried out. When the six months ~
ended. what then? There will be no
more eight-hour day than there is to-
day. We have no guarantee that the
railroads will continue to pay at the
end of the six months what they are
paying now. There is no guarantee that
there will be no strike then. We are
stopping the strike for six months by
voting an additional wage. Is that any
settlement for the American people?
We must protect their rights and IN
terests for the future.
"The President brought here another
measure to empower the government 20
use the mailed fist. would rather not
30 TO that extremity, but ! will 90 IN
order not to block the commerce Of the
country. There will be no strike II the
eight-hour bill is passed, no matter
what else we put in that Legislation.
1t can't be. II is bargain between
Congress and these men Why should
we say TO the people at the end OF the
six months, You can face the same
situation that you face to day"
Does the Senator mean" asked sen.
ator Stone, that the bill If passed VIII
stop the strike for only six months -
with Section the Interstate Com
merce Commission clause out, yes"
answered Senator Underwood. ut Is
only a temporary measure. The provi-
sion making an eight-hour law IS TO
last only until the end of six or eight
months. There is nothing to prevent
the managers of the railways 1T the
end of six months from reducing wages
except the finding of the commission
which shall investigate wages. The
question at issue is a question or
wages. The men are not contending for
an eight-hour working day"
Borah in Doubt.
81 am in doubt said Senator Borah,
"as TO the number of employees coz
cred by this bill"
at covers all the men in train ser.
vice | would feel that it was unjust
answered the Senator from Alabama,
"if it did not include all. But we are
not passing this bill in the interest of
the tranmen, but in the interest OF the
American people
Senator Nardaman and Senator Sim
mons, as well as other Administration
Senators. wanted TO know if the Presi-
dent had approved of the Underwood