The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-12-08
CONGRESS HEARS
WILSON'S MESSAGE
Presidents Address to Both
Houses Is Quite Short.
RAIL TROUBLES COVE FIRST
Further Legislation on That Line Is
Strongly Recommended--BilI Civ
Ing Foreign Commerce Promo
ters Free Hand Necessary.

Washington, Dec. 5.-President VIII
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-
ton such legislative measures as may
be judged necessary and expedlent
shall continue the practice, which !
hope has been acceptable to 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 1t seems neces-
sary and feasible to deal at the pres
ent session of the congress.
! | realize the limitations of time UNI
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
i time to complete and which 1t 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
or 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 trainmen.
Railway Troubles First.
then recommended:
First, immediate provision for the
enlargement and administrative reor-
ganlzation 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 devolving upon it with prompt
ness and thoroughness which are, with
Its present constitution and means of
action, practically impossible.
Second, the establishment of an
eight-hour 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 transporta-
ton.
Ihird, the authorization of the an
pointment by the president of small
body OF men to observe the actual re-
suits in experience of the adoption IF
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 to meet such
additional expenditures by the rail
roads as may have been rendered nee
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 existino
federal statute which provides for the
mediation, conciliation and arbitration
of such controversies as the nresent
by adding to it provision that, in case
the methods of accommodation now
provided for should fall 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 Judgment in tba
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 conn.
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
trative officials as the circumstances
require for their safe and efficient use
Renews His Recommendation.
The second and third of these roc
concentrations the congress immediata.
ly acted on: it established the eight
hour day as the legal basis of work
and wages in train service and If an
thorized the appointment of a COM
mission to observe and report upon the
practical results. deeming these tha
measures most Immediately needed
but 1t postponed action upon the other
suggestions until an opportunity shouId
be offered for more deliberate CON
sideration of them. The fourth roo.
concentration do not deem IT necas-
sary to renew. The power of the IN.
terstate commerce commission to grant
an increase of rates on the ground RI