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Show LEADERS BELIEVE SUCCESS OF . EIGHT-HOUR BILL ASSURED Congress Casts Aside Other Work to Permit Concentration on President's Program to Avert Strike Vote on Adamson Measure Expected This Afternoon Brotherhoods See in Proposal Means for Avoiding Repetition Repeti-tion of Disruption in Future. Washington, Sept. 1. All outward Indications of the progress of President Presi-dent Wilson's legislative program to prevent the railway strike were favorable fav-orable when congress resumed work today. The president himself went to the capitol soon after 9 o'clock this morning morn-ing to hurry things along. The senate interstate commerce committee got to work early on its bill for an eight-hour day and an Investigating In-vestigating commission. In the house the rules committee assembled to report a special rule and have it ready for the house when it met at llo'clock, providing for a vote on the Adamson bill not later than 4:30 o'clock this afternoon. The Adamson bill has been approved by the president and the heads of the railway brotherhoods have said that its passage by both houses of congress will be considered a satisfactory settlement. set-tlement. The railway heads, having voiced their protest against the legislation did nothing today, awaiting its outcome. out-come. Barring unfbrseen- complications It seemed assured today that congress would act finally - before Saturday night and in time for the brotherhood heads to call off the strike set for 7 o'clock Monday morning. When the senate convened a recess was almost at once taken until 11 a, m. to enable the interstate commerce committee to continue Its work of drafting the strike legislation and to permit Republican members to confer. con-fer. President Wilson spent almost an hour conferring with Democratic leaders, and then returned to the White House. On his way to his office from the capitol, President Wilson, heard two sightseers, Mr. and MrB. J. B. Flem ing of Boulder, Colo., talking about their home. "Are you folks from Colorado?" asked, the president. They told him they were and he said: "I am always glad to meet people peo-ple from that state." Defniite abandonment of an effort for legislation to enlarge the Inter-slate Inter-slate commerce commission was agreed to by the senate committee. The president explained his presence pres-ence at the capitol by saying: "I am just keeping the threads together." to-gether." Concentrate on Program. Majority Leader Kern said after the president's visit that the Democrats Demo-crats would concentrate on the eight-hour eight-hour bill and put over the rest of the railroad legislation until next week. Many Democrats felt there would be little disposition among the Republicans Repub-licans to filibuster against the eight-hour eight-hour bill In view of the present situation. situ-ation. The senate committee determined there was too much opposition to tho Interstate commerce commission enlargement en-largement bill to risk attaching It to the emergency legislation. ' As the bill stpod this morning, the senate committee had agreed that the new commission should "consider an Increase In freight rates to meet such additional expenditures by the railroads rail-roads affected as may have been rendered ren-dered necessary by the adoption of the eight-hour day and which have not been offset by administrative readjustments re-adjustments and economies, should the facts disclosed justify the increase." in-crease." Several members were seriously inclined in-clined to the belief that such definite decision regarding the rate question would provoke opposition in the senate, sen-ate, especially from Progressive-Republicans, which would make lmme- dlate passage of the bill impossible. Senator Kern, said the senate was also considering a bill to empower the interstate commerce commission to fix the schedule of wages upon railroads. rail-roads. "We will have to do this some time and might as well do it now," he said. He also was inclined to urge the committee com-mittee to Include In the eight-hour bill some features of the proposed amendment to the arbitration act, which would prevent future strikes during Investigation. Effective January 1. As agreed upon tooay, the senate bill would make the eight-hour basic day effective January 1, 1917, and apply to railroads of 100 miles or more in length, exempting electric street and electric interurban railways. rail-ways. By 1 o'clock the bill was expected to be ready for the senate. While the house rules committee was working, the interstate commerce committee met and favorably reported report-ed the Adamson bill. The Adamson bill was favorably reported re-ported by the house interstate commerce com-merce committee, which amended it to make the eight-hour provisions effective ef-fective January 1 next Instead of December De-cember 1, and so as to exempt electric elec-tric railroads. The bill was immediately reported to the house, which met at 11 o'clock. Meantime the rules' committee held a. meeting and without any changes favorably reported the KItchin rule providing for two hours of general debate on the bill and a vote on the bill and any amendments in the house at 4:30 o'clock this afternoon. Members Mem-bers of the rules' committee said under un-der that rule the bill should be passed by the house shortly after 5 o'clock this afternoon. Senator Morris, the first to leave the Republican senate conference, said each member would be left free to act as he thought best. Efforts were still being made to induce in-duce the brotherhoods to call off the strike order, but they were standing (Continued on Page 7.) Leaders Believe Success of Eight-Hour Bill (Continued from Pago 1) firm not to do so unless the eight-hour eight-hour bill becomes a law before Sunday Sun-day nighL Bill Certain of Passage. Brotherhood leaders declared after a conference with Senator Newlands and others at the capitol that the eight-hour bill was certain of passing. pass-ing. Democratic Leader Kitchln called up the Adamson bill soon after the" bouso met. "I ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration," he said. "I object," said Republican Leader Mann. Representative Harrison, Democrat, then offered the special rule and there was discussion on that. Mr. Harrison Har-rison said congress, in the interest of the American people, ought to pass this bill by Saturday night and avert the strike. Representative Bennett, Republican, denounced the proposed legislation. "There are worse things than strlkeB," said Bennt, "and one of those things is the destruction of the American system of government I don't propose to cast my vote with a pistol at my head." Representative Cooper of Ohio, Republican, Re-publican, denied that labor was holding hold-ing up congress as Mr. Bennett charged. After a twenty minute session the committee of six. senate Republicans authorized to draft substitute legislation legis-lation was Informed 'that the majority ma-jority plan is to rush through the bills It has framed at once and to stay in session, all night, if necessary, to pass them. The Republicans ad- journed without action of any kind. There were indications that the plan to draft substitute bills probably would be abandoned. Opposition to the legislation was voiced by Representative Greene, Republican, Re-publican, Vermont. "When any body of men holds up Congress and threatens a national calamity," ca-lamity," he said, "it Is time for us to fix the responsibility for the act on those men rather than to yield to them under duress." Representative Cooper, Republican, of Ohio, told the house that for twenty years he had worked in the engine cab and knew from personal experience what railroad conditions were. 'The men were justified," he said, "in asking their employers for better hours. The proposed legislation legisla-tion provides the only way to avert the strike set for Monday." "When you say these employes have threatened and -held up Congress Con-gress and conspired for this legislation legisla-tion you say what is absolutely untrue," un-true," said Representative Taggart, Democrat, Kansas. "This bill is a makeshift pure and simple," said Representative Browning, Brown-ing, Republican, New Jersey. |
