Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-11
BILL SUPPLEMENTS
E|GHT-KOUR LAW
Provides U. S. Investigation
When Mediation Fails in
Railroad Cases.
REPORTED TO SENATE

In reporting favorably from tho COM
mittee on interstate commerce railroad
bill intended to supplement the Adanlson
eight hour law. Senator Newlands Of Ne
vada, chairman Of the committee, yester-
day told the Senate that he intended to
press for action on the measure at an
early date.
Senator Newlands said in part:
The Senate will recall that the Presi-
dent has submitted to Congress certain
recommendations with reference to the
strike situation. One recommendation
was that the eight-hour principle
should be recognized by law with refer
ence to employees engaged In the opera
ton of trains. That recommendation
was enacted into law at the last session.
and that law is now being tested in the
Supreme Court. To that recommenda-
ton the President added certain sup
Elementary recommendations, ono with
terstate commerce commission. with a
view to enabling that commission more
efficiently to discharge its constantly
increasing duties, one OF those duties
necessarily being the consideration OF
the question OF wage increases in con-
nection with rate fixing.
1.-THE committee has reported bill
which came over from the House at the
last session charging the interstate
commerce commission from seven to
nine, and that bill is on the calendar.
and I am instructed by the committee
to urge Its immediate consideration.
Provides U. S. Investigation.
1.-The bill which I have Just reported
covers the additional recommendation
made by the President that in case me-
diation and Cancellation and voluntary
arbitration fail under the mediation
vestigation of the dispute by commits
sioners appointed by the President with
a view to their ascertaining facts and
making report.
ut amends the mediation and concilia-
ton act by providing that. where media
ton and conciliation under the act fail, the
board of mediation, now consisting of
three members. shall be enlarged by
the addition Of two members, one from
the representatives Of the railway en-
sentatives of the railway officials, and
that the board thus enlarged shall as
certain, report and publish the facts
The committee took UP the con-
sideration of the question of the sus-
pension of the power of strike during
The power of strike, being the only
weapon which labor has thus far had,
the only weapon which has been at
forded to them by civilized society
for the determination OF disputes with
their employers. the committee con-
cluded not to interfere with or to sus-
pend the right Of strike or lockout
during the period Of investigation.
With that view, I may say, I did not
concur.
Means to Secure Peace.
1T was the expectation Of the COM
mittee that the railway disputants
would halt their proceedings during
the period of investigation and that the
report Of the investigating body would
be influential in securing a sound pub.
lie opinion which would affect not only
the sdisputants but the public at large,
and thus by its own moral force secure
industrial peace.
The committee also took up in this
bill the question Of the protection by
the federal government of trains oper-
atfng in interstate commerce and the
prevention of any restraint or hindrance
OF the operation of such trains. It has
put In this bill which is reported q
stringent provision making 1t a mis-
demeanor, punishable by fine or i'm
prisonment, to hinder or to obstruct in
any way the operation Of the mails or
trains moving in interstate commerce.
hc committee mas also taken uD the
recommendation OF the President re-
garding the communicating of rail-
ways and other transportation facili-
ties In case Of war or military necessity
and has amply covered that phase OF
the question"
Recommendation Not Met.
Senator Gallinger. republican leader,
suggested that the bill does not meet
the recommendation of the President
that strikes and lockouts be sus-
pended by law until a government in
vestigation has been made in all con-
troversies between the roads and their
employees.
Senator NewIands admitted this to be
the fact. He added, however, that he
stood with the President on this mat
ter and that he hoped for a vote on 1t
in the Senate.