The Washington herald., 1918-07-02
VETO
PURGES BILL
OF S-HOUR LAW
President Refuses to Sign
Bill with Borland
Amendment
CLERKS REJOICE MUCH
Federal Employees Declare
They Had Trusted in JUS
tice of Wilson.
CLERKS REJOICE MUCH

Federal employees rejoiced yesterday
at the action Of President Wilson in
vetoing the appropriations bill be-
cause II carried the Boriand amend
ment. which required Government en-
ployes TO work eight hours a day with
out extra pay for overtime.
President Wilson's sense Of justice
and fairness and his weIl-known
policy upon labor matters would bring
about this action, the employees were
sure, II his attention was called to
the provisions Of the Boriand amend
ment.
Employees IN at least one department,
however. received orders yesterday To
work until $50 instead Of 40
The House. however, speedily con-
irmed the Presidents action by re-
fusing to override his veto by a vote
Of 24s to 60 Among those who voted
to override the veto were Representa-
tive Borland, father Of the amend
ment. and labor representative from
Missouri. a. well as Representative
sissons, chairman Of the Subcommit-
tee on Appropriations for the District.
Amendmenf Stricken Out.
The House sent the appropriation
amendment stricken out.
Our confidence In President Wilson
was absolute" said II. M. McLarin.
president OF the National Federation
of Federal Employer IN q statement
yesterday. 1--WE were sure thst the
President would, veto this measure
when its rank injustice was brought
to his attention, and we shall perform
our duties with renewed zeal, energy
and encouragement, proud Of the fact
that We have President who viii
recognize the rights Of the people
working under him and defend them
from such vicious legislation as that
proposed by Representative Borland."
So acute had become the situation
before President Wilson's veto was
announced that Samuel Gompers, pres
ident of the American Federation Of
Labor. had an appointement today
to talk over the amendment with the
President.
Presidents Statement.
President Wilson, in vetoing the bin.
made the following statement:
Though I realize very keenly the
Inconvenience to the government Of
returning without my signature II. r.
1oSS& making appropriations for the
legislative. executive and judicial ex-
penses of the government for the
fiscal year ending June 90. 1913, and
for other purposes, I fell constrained
to do so because Of the provision con-
tafned In the last paragraph Of the
bill which increases the hours Of work
for the employees OF the government
within the District Of Columbia from
seven to eight hours per day.
"Atz the outset of the war felt II
my DUTY to urge all employers in the
United States to make a special effort
to see to 1t that the conditions of labor
were in no respect altered unfavorably
to the laborers. It has been evidenr
from the first how directly the strain
of this war is to bear upon those who
do the labor which underlies the whole
process Of mobilizipg the nation, and
It seems to me now that 1t Is Of the
highest importance that the advan-
tages which had been accorded labor
before the war began should not be
subtracted from or abated
Having taken this position In an
earnest appeal to other employers,
do not feel justified in asserting
to q measure in which the United
States as an employer changes the
conditions OF the labor Of its own
employees unfavorably to them, and
1 feel the freer to take this position
because I have not learned from
any quarter that the employees of
the government Of the District have
been slack in their labor or have
demurred from doing any Of the
necessary additional tasks which the
time and the exigencies require. On
the contrary, have learned that
they have cheerfully done additional
labor and have not needed the COM
pulsfon OF law
The Department Of Labor was
n'ost~pronouncedly opposed to the
labor propaganda being carried on
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