The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-25
(By Hon. William c. Adamson Of Ga., Author. Adamson Eight
 HOur ACt,)

No piece of legislation ever passed by the American Congress was more justifiable than the bill proposed at the joint session by President Wilson and later enacted by both houses for the prevention of a nationwide rail- road strike. This bill fixes an eight hour working day as the basis Of pay for trainmen engaged in interstate commerce and before it had even been signed by the President, it has served it's immediate purpose by recalling the strike order which had gone forth.
 Not only did the eight-hour act spare this country a period of paraly- sis and distress more overwhelming than any through which it has ever passed in a time of peace, but al- ready it has paved the way for a set clement of the issues upon which the railroads and their employees lead locked. The information has come to us that the railroads themselves are becoming reconciled to the sys- tenn which the law imposed and that the litigation to test the constitution ality of the act may never be begun, or if begun, may never be carried to the Supreme Court.
 Whether the railroads accept this legislation or not, those of us who were instrumental in placing this law uponthe statute books need offer no apologies for our action. We faced a national crisis, one involving the welfare of every man, woman and child in the land. The President had used all the power at his command to bring the two parties together and hadf allied. Arbitration was impos- sib1e. The strike impended. Embar- goes had already been laid by lead ing railroads against all perishable freight that is, the freight which may be described in terms of food Prices of the commonest necessities of life were doubled overnight. An appal- ling situation confronted us and we acted determfned1y and decisively
 It is untrue and unjust for any man to charge that Congress was prodded or driven in this matter. If there was any driving done, it was the pub lie interest that was the driver. No individual or set of individuals waved bludgeon above our heads. We were the spokesman of the American people and we acted as their spokes- men. Both the railroads and their | men are the servants of the people | and we dealt with them as servants, | not as masters. That one side was satisfied and the other was not, made no difference.
 The question of an eight hour day was not new one. Every member of Congress had general information enough about it to have been familiar with that question for years. It came up suddenly, it is true, and at an un- | fortunate time for those who were anxious for Congress to adjourn. But 1t was pot more unfortunate for them than 1t was for the commercial inter | ests of the country. It came up at a time when the crops were about to be moved, and business, 1t was hoped | would be bounfifuI and prosperous | Thar made it even more serious and more necessary that we should do something to relieve the situation. l The man who operates the trains made their demands six or eigth months ago. The carrier officials de chned the demands. The operatives were threatening a strike. It was the duty of any patriotic citizen to intervene and make suggestions that might avert the calamity. The Presi
 dent of the United States to whom we all look with respect and confidence, invited the two parties to confer with him with the hope that as mediator himself, he might bring about an ac- commodation of the. differences. He failed. The brotherhoods ordered a strike. The President thereupou stated the case to Congress. There was nothing new in anything he pro- posed. It had all been matter o1 discussion for years
 In framing the bill the members o1 1 the committees of the two Houses o1 Congress having Jurisdiction of the subject canvassed the situation thor. opghly We found that in the con. 1erences which had taken place be. fore the President laid the matter be. Tore Congress, one party, the party threatening the strike, had agreed tc certain propositions which he ha6
 made to them. The other side haf rejected those propositions, demand. ing that full and absolute legislation covering the whole field should bt had at once. But we could not wal
 for that. There was not. time. Al that we could do was to be consisten
 with the proceedings which tn.
 President and the two parties to tn. l lCoIlToVerSy naQ participated in.
 The party threatening the strik,
 had agreed to certain propositions. w,
 considered it logical that if Congress
 enacted those propositions into law
 it would be unjustifiable for tn,
 brotherhoods to strike. Logically the, could not strike for we were doin.
 just what the President had proposed
 to them and just what they hat l agreed to accept. But we had no, con
 tract with them. We had not take,
 with any of them. We followed req
 son in the matter and adopted tn
 eight hour law.
 The statement that this Is an act t
 increase labor or to take control O
 labor is absolutely without founda
 tion. It merely provides that the stat
 us quo shall be maintained until tn
 operation of the eight-hour law cal be observed by a competent commis sion and until further legislation cal , be had. It is merely a truce enforce, upon the warning elements with ;
 fixed basis of peace terms It i
 merely a protocol adopted prior to
 permanent treaty. Nobody need fea that the committees of Congres
 which dealt with this question, no
 Congress as body will ever deliber
 ately disregard the rights of either tn
 railroads or their employees.
 , They are both servants of the peo
 pie working to maintain our grea system of transportation and we leg
 islated upon their interests as such I