The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-03-23
WHAT CONGRESS- IS DOING

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The District Of Columbia commit
tee of the house has favorably re-
ported bills providing for government
ownership CT the street car systems
and the telephone and telegraph sys-
TENS within the District of Columbia.
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The largest single appropriation
bill for the support Of the navy ever
submitted was reported to the house
last Thursday and provides for total
of $1,s25,ooo,ooo.
The house has adopted an amend
ment to the legislative appropriation
bill granting flat increase Of $40
a year In pay to Federal and District
of Columbia employees receiving up to
$4,000 year. This was designed as
substitute for the Heating bill pro-
viding for increases for Federal en-
ployes.
Prisoners at the Federal peniten-
tiary at Atlanta will be put to work
making heavy duck textiles for war
purposes under the provisions Of a
bill reported favorably by the house
judiciary committee.
The Johnson bill, prohibiting rent
profiteering in the District Of Column
b1a, has been passed by the house,
and provides for the confiscation Of
all rentals in excess OF a 10 per cent
increase over rates in force during
the year ended Sept. 80, 1915. Re-
ferred to the senate.
The conference report on the rail-
road bill was adopted by the senate
last Wednesday by a vote of ~ to 8.
The house adopted the report by a
vote of 303 to Is. Vice President
Marshall and Speaker Clark have
both signed the measure.
Speaking in support of the woman
suffrage constitutional amendment,
Senator Calder of New York last
Wednesday said he believed the t.:ne
had come to give women the vote,
not only as a right, but as wartime
efficiency for country struggling in
the throes Of this great world war
y - ~, - - -~---'
Both houses of congress Friday took
affirmative action on the subject of
hours of work for government en-
ployes. In the senate the Borland
amendment to the agricultural appro-
priation bill adopted in the house and
prescribing. eight hours work each
day for clerks in that department was
agreed to by a vote of % to %. Sen
ator Sheppard gave notice that when
the bill came out of committee Of the
whole he would ask another vote on
this amendment. In the house with
out record vote the eight-hour pro-
vision was attached to the legislative
appropriation bill.
The house last Friday afternoon
passed the daylight saving bill. This
! measure provides for setting the clock
forward one hour at 2 a. m. on the
last Sunday in March and setting II
back one hour on the last Sunday In
October Of each year. The bill al
ready had been passed by, the senate
and was signed by President Wilson
Tuesday.
Chairman Sims Of the interstate
commerce committee of the house u
| introduced an amendment to the war.
| risk insurance act to prohibit attor.
neys from receiving fees for services
| in presenting claims for, insurance ex.
cept as authorized by the courts o,
| the director Of the insurance bureau
! In no case would fees exceed 10 per
cent of the amount awarded.
|
Pay increases Of Is per cent for al,
| employees of the postal service, recon-
| mended by the senate postoffice SUBJ
committee in. revising the postoffice
appropriation bill, were approved
| Tuesday by the full committee, which
| ordered the bill favorably reported
The increase does not apply to- post.
masters OF the first, second, OF third
! classes, but obtains in the case ;o1
{ fourth-class postnnasters deprived Of
credit for. stamp cancellations.
-
General debate began in the house
Saturday afternoon on the war finance
corporation bill, Chairman Kitchin o1
the ways and means committee max
ing an extended statement in explana-
ton Of the measure.
Senator Gore. last Saturday intro.
duced an amendment to the price.
fixing bill that would place the book:
! of the meat packers under the super
vision of the secretary Of agriculture
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