The Elbert County tribune., 1917-03-09

vfduais In an effort to restore the
American merchant marine
The Adamson eight-hour railroad
law was enacted on the eve OF ad-
journment of the first session of the
last congress. The enactment of
the measure prevented nation
wide railroad strike. 1t. however.
has never become effectite. Be
tween the time OF Its enactment and
the time for the commencement of Its
operation, January l last, the constitu-
tionality of the measure was chal-
ienged by the railroads. and the whole
matter is now pending in the Supreme
court
Supplemental raiiroad legislation.
proposed by President Wilson In his
annual message last December, failed
or enactment. This legislation would
have provided for the prevention of
strikes by compulsory legislation. 1t
was heartily opposed by all OF the
bodies Of organized labor which had
previously sought the eight-hour rail-
road law.
Child Labor and immigration.
The child labor law barred from In
terstate commerce all products of chill
dren under sixteen years of age In
mines or of children under fourteen In
factories.
The passage OF the immigration bill
with Its literacy test was accomplished
over President Wilson's second veto.
The literacy feature had been
subject of controversy between the ex-
ecutive and Legislative branches of the
government for the past twenty years.
Presidents Taft and Cleveland both We
toed immigration measures because
they carried the literacy feature,
which all three presidents thought was
not proper measure OF the fitness of
aliens for admission to the United
States.
The federal farm-loan act. commonly
called the rural-credlts bill. created
II federal land banks with $75O,0OO
capital each. The bill provides sys-
TEN whereby loans may be made to
farmers for productive purposes
through national farm-loan associa-
tions. 1t will meet more particularly
the needs of agriculturists in the West
and South.
Under the vocational educational net
the federal government on n gradually
increasing scale covers every state ap-
preparation dollar for dollar for secon-
Diary school instruction in agriculture
and the mechanical and Industrial arts
On the eve of adjournment congress
passed the post-ofiice appropriation
bill, with an amendment making bone
dry" all states having prohibitory laws
This measure was introduced In the
senate by Senator Reed of Missouri
Its unexpected enactment Ind the eff
feet of absolutely prohibiting the ship
ment in interstate commerce of intoxi-
cants into states or territories which
forbid the manufacture or sale Of
liquor.
1t also closes the mails to ali liquor
advertising, including newspaper ad-
vertsing. Neither can letters solicit
ing liquor orders be carried In the
mails.
Sixteen Senators Retire.
Sixteen senators have now discarded
their togas and prefxed their titles
with Eek" This disturbance of per-
sonnel reduces but does not upset the
Democratic control of the upper house
The Democratic majority of 16 is cut
to II, leaving out of consideration such
senator's and senators-elect as La Fol-
lette. Hiram Johnson. Poindexter and
Norris, officially classed as Republic
ans but not always voting according to
classification.
Among the nationally known sena-
tors now retired to private life are
Clarence ID. Clark of Wyoming, who
has served in the senate continuously
since January %, 1895: Moses Il. Clapp
of Minnesota. one of the original Pro-
gressives; Luke Lea of Tennessee, now
only fhirty-seven years old. known as
the Baby SENATOR" James e. MARITIME
of New Jersey, who acquired fame
early In his senatorial career by his
stanch defense of applejaclz as n bev-
erage, and John w. Kern of Indiana
who has been Democratic leader of the
senate.
Needing no Introduction among the
new senator's are Hiram johnson of
California. Frank =. Kellogg, trust
buster" of Minnesota, and Philander
G. Knox of Pennsylvania. Unlike the
rest Of the senators-elect. "their repu-
tations are made" all they need to do
is to ''live up to EN-"
WRITER'S BEHIND THE TIMES