Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-06

| Washington, Dec. Sat noon to
day President Wilson addressed thu
joint session OF congress, presenting
his annual message. He said:
Gentlemen Of the Congress: II
fulfilling at this time the duty laic
upon me by the constitution Of com
municating to you from time to time
information of the state of the unior
and recommending to your consider
alton such legislative measures as
may be judged necessary and expedi-
ent ! shall continue the practice
which hope has been acceptable to
you, of leaving to the reports of the
several heads of the executive depart
ments the elaboration of the detailed
needs ofNthe public service and con-
fine myself to those matters Of more
general policy with which it seems
necessary and feasible to deal at the
present session of the congress.
Il realize the limitations Of time
under which you will necessarily act
at this session and shall make my
suggestions 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.
Program to Be Completed.
''In the first place, it seems to me
imperatively necessary that the earli-
est 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 TN
happily continue to, exist, between the
railroads Of the country and their
locomotive engineers, conductors and
trainmen.
II then recommended:
First, immediate provision for the
enlargement and administrative reor-
ganization OF the Interstate Com
merce 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 en-
abled to deal with tn. many great and
various duties now devolving upon it
with a promptness and thoroughness
which are, with its present constitu-
ton and means Of action, practically
impossible.
Eight Hour Law Amendments.
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 op-
Grating trains in interstate .ralsporta-
ton.
Third, the authorization OF the ap-
pointment by the president OF a small
body of men to observe the actual re-
suits in experience of the adoption
Of the eight-hour day in railway
transportation alike for the men and
for the railroads. VI VII
Fourth, explicit approval by the
congress 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 read
justments and economies, should the
facts disclosed justify the increase.
For Settlement of Strikes. '
Fifth, an amendment of the exist
ing federal statute which provides for
the mediation, Cancellation, and
arbitration of such controversies as
the present by adding to it a provi-
sion that in case the methods Of ac-
commodation now provided for should