Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-05
THE EIGHT HOUR Law.
What Some of the Prominent Amer.
leans Think of it.


In response to requests from the
New York Sun the following opinions
have been expressed on the eight hour
Legislation:
Marcus n. HoIconb, Governor of
Connecticut: ct don't believe in pass
Ing legislation by force"
joseph 3. Foraker, formerly United
States Senator from Ohio: This is
the first time Congress ever has been
asked to yield to a stand and deliver
demand, but since the attempt was so
successful it will not be the last. Such
performances feed on themselves and
grow constantly more frequent, more
humiliating and more criminal. OF
course it would be q calamity to have
a strike of the character threatened,
but it would be thousand times worse
to 1egislate under duress. not only be-
cause of the truculent precedent but
also because, no matter how unwise
and wrongful such legislation might
prove, it would be of such contractual
character that it could not be repealed
without apparent breach Of faith
Publio's Rights Were ignored.
Howard Elliott, president Of the
New Haven: Il have from the time
this question began to be discussed
seriously, felt that it ought not to be
settled without giving the public, the
real party in interest, time to under
stand it, and an opportunity to ex-
press it's opinion before Congress-or
an impartial tribunal created by the
President or by Congress.
81 believe that if Congress made an
insistent demand upon the brother
hoods and the railroads that they go
ahead and attend to business without
prejudice to either side and also ar
ranged for a proper arbitration tri-
bunal that all parties, including the
| labor leaders, would have agreed.
II think the action of the labor
leaders in forcing legislation through
Congress without giving that body
| time to deliberate is a most unfort-
innate thing for the whole country
and for labor itself"
unjust and Undemocratio."
| DR.. Lyman Abbott, editor Of the
Outlook: 81 have long advocated eight
hours as the standard day for organ
| lied labor in factories, mines and rail-
ways. AS a consumer, I should be
willing to pay my proportion of any
additional cost which the adoption OF
such a standard might involve, but ii
| is neither just nor democratic that
this question should be determined for
the nation by a bureaucracy of either
laborers or capitalists.
THE railways are not like other
private property; they are the high
gers and the operators of the railways
are the servants Of the nation. 1t
is intoIerable that any combination OF
! either managers or operators should
be able to dictate to the nation or
what terms the people may use their
| highways.
eff had been in Congress I should
proba bly, have voted for the eight hou1
day rather than subject the people &c
| the tragical consequences of closing
the highways for even a short season
Congress has done we'll to save us
| f,@Oy,o fJ,o h,,+ 7, &c
not enough. 1t ought now at an early
day devise some plan by which the
people can decide with authority the
terms and conditions on which tbs
highways must be operated and car
enforce their decision on both mana
gers and operators"
Worst Enemy OF the Lahorer.
James r. Day, Chancellor of syria.
cuse University: Il sympathize witt
the manual laborers. 1 was enc my.
self and I know the thoughts they are
thinking. The worst enemy CT the
laboring man today is nlismana ge(
land tyrannical labor union or broth
erhood. 1t is threatening labor anC
the country in which the laborer'!
ihome and happiness are invested
Wrongs cannot be redressed by reck
Hess disregard of the rights of others
Justice cannot be secured by unjus
land cruel oppression of the defence
Hess.
ITO attempt to settle controvers.
with the railway corporation by stop
ping the food supply Of continent wild
communities was monstrous. Only
isupine and servile government vii
permit such an invasion of the right
. of the people. Notice should hav
been served at once that such an in
human attempt would be resisted b
the entire army and police of tn
country.
: THE stupendous blunder of thi
case was the assurance given by tn
| President to the brotherhoods tina
! public sentiment is behind him. !
> was a question that the public did no
understand and which the public nov
informed, resents and will resist.
Unlawful, HumiIiating Farce.
, For the American Congress t
make the laws on this plan of tn
lhighwayman's stand and deliver