The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-09-07

l
For while there was talk of an all
night session. but early in the evening
word was passed that an agreement
to adjourn and vote at certain hour
Saturday would come before tho dis
cussion had gone very far.
While the House was at work, the
three brotherhood heads at the invi.
tatton OF Democratic Leader Kitchin,
occupied the Ways and Means Com.
mlttee room near the entrance to tho
House floor and wero in constant con.
sultatfon with the labor spokesmen in
the House. They were insistent that
the efght-hour provision 60 through
| without any Of the arbitration or
wage'fxing amendments put forward
during the debate. Representative Ca.
aey Of Pennsylvania was constantly on
the go between them and Representa-.
tive Kitchin and Representative Keat.
Ing Of !. Colorado. who conducted their
fight on tho floor. When the vote wan
taken they obviously wero pleased.
Their failure to make statements was
tribute to fear that anything they
might say would have an undesirable
effect upon deliberations In the
senate.
Takes Adamson Moaaure.
| The Senate committee bill was the
Adamson measure with the same
amendments adopted by the house
and an added section empowering the
Interstate Commerce Commission to
fix the wages of interstate railroad
employees at the end Of the proposed
period Of investigation and thereafter
When the senate began Its night
session the galleries were thronged
to capacity. many railroad officials
and representatives OF the brother
hoods being in the audience.
In asking unanimous consent to
lay aside the senate bill and take up
the one sent over from the house,
Senator Newlands criticised Congress-
for not responding to the Presidents 8
demand for legislation which would
serve as protection against afuture
labor crisis, and declared membors
feared to face the issue because OF
the political campaign.
Senator Thomas also said that Con
gress and not the President was evad
ing the responsibility of meeting 8
great emergency without fear and In
way to make its action permanent
In character. ss.;
Senator Cummins made long
speech against the house bill. He
said the country was confronted with
appalling disaster and he was not
prepared to say that senators should
not yield some Of their convictions to
avert though 1t was impossible for
him to believe the problem should be
solved in the way proposed.' He de-:
! clared In his opinion the amendment
Of Senator Underwood would absolute.
ly destroy the object OF the bill and
he doubted IL II would be satisfactory
to the brotherhood leaders.
No Option, says Borah.
Senator Borah interrupted to deny
that the Senate had any freedom OF
action in the matter. II say" he
asserted. that we are threatened
with national calamity and are ask
ed to legislate but are not given an
opportunity to determine whether or
not we are legislating right"
II do not defend their declaration
Of strike" said Senator Cummins in
reply. "and they must take the con.
sequences Of that. think they should
have postponed that until fair in,
vestfgation could be made. They
chose not to do so, but they haye not
attempted to direct this legislation"
| leave IL to his Democratic friends
to. eulogize what hey believe to be
what Is the Presidents courage. At
any rate he made proposal, the rail
road men accepted 1t and the rail
roads rejected It, They the brother
hoods, I think unwiaely, sent out the
{ order for the stri!ee which think
has stricken organized labor the ,se
yerest blow It ever received. ~
"But the President, having failed in
mediation, came to Congress. am
not criticising him for that. 7 think
he came in proper way. I think he
ought to have come. He recommend
ed a program which was perfectly un.
derstandable. He may have been
courageous. I am not inclined 70 rob
him OF tho credit. but we must re-.
member that one Of the propositions.
OF the President pleased the brother.
hoods and the other pleased the rail.
roads" st},tss,,.,
Taking up the bill In detail Sena.
tor Cummins said the first provision
| in 1t meant nothing for the trainmen
so far as hours are concerned be.
cause overtime work IS not paid at
higher rate than work up to eight
hours.
AS soon as Senator Cummins con.
cluded Senator Newlands proposal ad.
| journment with the agreement to vote
promptly was given unanimous con.
J sent ending the session.