The Alaska daily empire., 1921-04-12
DEBATE BEGINS ON 9-h0UR BILL
 IN LOWER HOUSE
Getchell Measure Up-Doubt Expressed as to Validity
 Amendments Offered.

! The House of Representatives this morning took an abrupt plunge into 1 the deep waters of eight-hour leg islation, when in the Committee of the Whole it took up consideration of the Getchell bill limiting the hours of work in certain industl es. As originally submitted by Mr. Get chell the industries specified are any mill, sawmill, factory, laundry, manufacturing establishment, or in any Open-cut or open-pit quarry or mine"
 The measure is to provide for eight hours employment in these indus tries, providing, however, that em- ployees may work not to exceed four i hours overtime, < conditioned that payment be made for such over time at the rate of time and one- half the regular wages for overtime. !" The Committees report recommended the addition of ''dredges' to the above industries and the amendment was adopted by the Committee of the Whole.
 Surface Placer Mines. The House in Committee of the Whole this afternoon adopted the Cochran amendment to the bill in- cluding all surface placer mines within the provisions Mir Brown introduced an amendment specifying that employees might not be em- ployed on overtime hours for more Ia, I L.. week. The amendment was pro ductive of bitter argument, Mr. Holt and MT. Julien contending that it's passage would kill every placer min ing industry in the Second Divi- sion. Mr Holt declared If this kind in the Second and Fourth divisions It will kill all our in dustries''
 The Attorney General stated that he was inclined to believe that such a provision would not be upheld by the courts. The Committee failed to pass the amendment, 13 mem bers voting against it.
 Amendment Defeated.
 Representative Julien, of Nome, after the adoption of the Committee amendment including dredges in the measure, secured the floor and of fered an amendment to add "hyd raulic mines. He declared that in his opinion, dredging operations were included in the open-cut or open-pit mining clause and that if it was not then hydraulic mining was not and should be added The amendment, after short discussion, was defeated by a narrow margin.
 Surface Placer Mines.
 General debate was precipitated when Representative Cochran of-I fered an amendment including all surface placer mining. He declared himself as opposed to camoufiaging in regard to an eight-hour measure saying that he was convinced that the Legislature should either pass one that will affect Alaska working men or nothing at all" He re- viewed the general subject of at tempted eight-hOur legislation since the referendum in 1916, acknowlede- ing that it was a difficult subject for legislation.
 Murray Objects.
 Representative Murray opposed the enumeration forms of mining on the ground that not only would it cucumber the bill but it involved great danger of rendering the measure unconstitutional. MT Get chell stated that the measure had been drawn by the Attorney Gen eral who had gone as far as he be- lieved could be expected to be up- held by the courts.
 Attorney General Called.
 The Attorney General was sum moned and asked for his opinion as to the incorporation of certain amendments He stated that the bill was drawn after the Oregon law which had been upheld by the Su-