Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15
Senate May Vote Today
on BorIand Amendment
for 8-Hour Day for Clerks

When the Senate met today there was
strong prospect of vote before ad-
journment on the motion of Senator
Sheppard of Texas to strike from the
agriculture appropriation bill the Bor-
land amendment compelling employees Of
the Department of Agriculture in the
District of Columbia to work a minimum
of eight hours day.
Senator Sheppard said he believed
and hoped his motion would prevail
IF my motion is defeated and the
Borland amendment is retained in the
bill" said Senator Sheppard, then /
| shall offer an amendment providing
| that the employees shall be paid time
| and-a-half overtime for work done
beyond the eight hours
Senator Hoke Smiths Amendment.
AS soon as the bill was laid before the
Senate with Senator Sheppard's motion
pending, Senator Hoke Smith of Geor-
gia offered an amendment providing
that the employees who worked more
than eight hours should be given a
similar amount of time off from work
as soon as possible thereafter.
Immediately Senator Sheppard pro-
posed his amendment. which would al
low the employees time and half pay
for all work over eight hours.
Let's have a standard union eigh,
hour day if we are going to have ar
| eight-hour day." said Senator Sheppard
| Senator Thomas of Colorado declared
| that he believed the clerks should be
required to work eight hours day
| and that while as rule he did not be-
| lieve in legislative riders on an ap-
/ land amendment.
| We have permitted these government
! employees to organize" said Senator
| Thomas. They have organized and
/ have affiliated with the American Fed
! GRAFTON of Labor. That is unfortunate
/ Serious embarrassment might arise
| suppose we were to be confronted with
a widely spread strike called by the
/ American Federation of Labor. These
! government employees would be con-
! fronted by an alternative requiring
them to do their duty by the govern
ment or by the organization with which
| jected to such an alternative as this.
Another reason which would lead
| to support this Borland amendment, il
! for no other reason. lies in the fac,
| lied the needs they think they require
are demanded of US and not requested
| Objects to Clerks Union.
! These employees organized into thei1
| union" said Senator Thomas, ~hay,
1 their delegates, walking and otherwise
| paid by the oganization. The union o
the clerks includes in the pressur,
| brought to bear on Congress a politica
feature. Many of these men vote, an,
| the women will soon vote. Now there
is no greater coward on earth than tn
congressman who wants to succeed
himself, unless it be the ordinary Amer.
lean business man.
| 4 want to protest against such no.
| hticai pressure by men and womer
employed and paid by the government
Labor unions outside. it is true. bein.
political pressure to bear on Congress-
but there is a somewhat different posi.
tion. Their members are not protectet
by civil service rules and given a lif.
tenure of office.
! There is measure pending in tn,
House to increase the salaries OF thes,
| government. employees II it is passed
the effect will be merely to use tn,
clerks a conduit to transfer none,
from the United States Treasury to tn,
| landlords and merchants of the District
That is the reason that every merchant
landlord and newspaper is in favor 20
such legislation. / know IL is hard fo
the government employees to make end
| meet in Washington. but I would lik
to see Congress tackle the problem
from the other end. The johnson bill I,
end profiteering in rents has been sen
to US and hope there will be some ac
ton on it. That is the only way I,
bring any relief to these EMPLOYEES O
the government"