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The Commoner
VOL. 16, NO. S
22
.World Reconstruction to Fall on
United States
- -.--" '-" .... i iMPMiawm,,,,,
A Now York dispatch, dated Aug.
28, says: PreHldont Wilson haa con
tributed to the following article on
"Amorlea's Opportunity" to the Gen
eral Federation magazine:
"No one can doubt that the Imme
diate Huturo of tho world will bo
crowded with quick changeo. Every
truo lovor of America muat wish tho
United Statca to play a part In those
changes which will bo worthy of her
ideal and her character. Almoat
nlonc among tho gnoat nations of the
world she will bo unhampered in
mooting a great opportunity.
MIn tho first placa nor resources
aro unimpaired. Not only has the
war and all its attendant circum
stances made no hurtful drain upon
her men or her materials; it has ovon
enhanced her skill and added to hor
resources.
"She has dovolopod Industries that
she had before neglected, has found
now use for her materials and now
matorlal for uso. No other nation
will stand quite so ready as sho to
sorvo tho world In every work of
poaco and development.
"Second, sho will probably of
necessity bo tho chief rellanco of tho
rost of tho world in tho field of fi
nance. Probably tho chief part in
supplying tho means necossary for
tho groat reconstruction following
tho war will full to hor.
Burden Fulls Upon Financiers
"When tho war began Amorlca was
a dobtor nation. Whon It closes she
will bo a croditor of all tho world.
Hor financiers will have it within
tholr choice to play a part they have
noyor played boforo in the economic
development of other nations.
"Third, it is evident that the
United States will understand herself
better than over boforo. Tho war
and all its attendant circumstances
have pried her wide-awako to both
tho dangers of her life and its enor
mous possibilities and advantRcroR.
"Wo had not realized tmrnm timf
thoro were certain elements in our
citizenship which had not in their
heart of hearts dovotod themselves
in full loyalty and allegiance to the
country of their adoption.
Problem of Disunion Overcome
"A now problem of disunion,
moro subtlo, moro difficult to meet
With direct checkmate and convic
tion than tho old problem which cul
minated in the Civil war has engaged
and disturbed our thought and wo
have realized that wo must dnvnt.n n
now energy and ardor to binding to
gether the forces which will produce
, a new union, a union of spirits tri
umphant over every alien force and
sympathy.
"This very anxiety has quickened
tho pulse of every loyal and devoted
American, whether his birthplace was
on this side of the water or on the
other.
"AN new and wholesome forco hnB
arisen of thoughtful, watchfu1, ener
getic patriotism and I venture to
think that tho nation is better pre
pared on that account to face tho
problem of a now day.
Unselfish and Impartial
"Fortunately, America can play
her part unselfishly and impartially
because se covets nothing other na
tions have, unless it be tholr skill and
knowledgo in some of the undertak
ings of science and industry, and
these she can obtain by the mere
careful use of the extraordinary ca
pacity of hor people.
"Sho has nothing she wishes to
take away from other nations and is
better prepared than ever before to
make rich contributions to tho de
velopment of other nations.
Her Opportunity at Hand
"Tho opportunity is at hand. Her
principles aro suited to tho freedom
of mankind and the peace of the
world.
"She oan now afford an example of
energy in justice as well as in en
thusiasm, in honorable competition,
in thoughtful adaptation of her re
sources to tho needs of the world
which may help to inaugurate a new
era in tho intercourse and friendly
independence of the peoples of the
world.
"That she will rise to this great
opportunity no man who knows her
can doubt."
TIIK ADAMSON 8-HOUR BILL
Tho Adamson bill, introduced in
congress to avert a threatened rail
road strike, passed the house of rep
resentatives September 1 by a vote of
230 to 5G, and passed the senate
September 2 by a vote of 43 to 28.
President Wilson signed the bill
September 4. The text of the meas
uro follows:
Bo it enacted by the senate and
houso of representatives of the
United States of America, in congress
in congress assembled:
Section 1. That beginning Decem
ber 1, 1916, eight hours shall in con
tracts for labor and service be
deemed a day's work and tlfe meas
ure or standard of a day's work for
tho purpose of reckoning the com
pensation for service of all employ
ees who are now 6r may hereafter bo
omployed by any railroad which is
subject to tho provisions of the act
of February 1, 1887, "An act to reg
ulate commerce," as amended, and
who aro now or may hereafter be
actually engaged in any capacity in
the operation of trains used for the
transportation of persons or property
on railroads, except railroads in
dependently owned and operated not
exceeding 100 miles in length, elec
tric street railroads and electric in
torurban railroads, from any state or
territory of the United States or tho
District or Columbia, to any other
state or territory of the United States
or the District of Columbia or from
oho place in a territory to another
place in the same territory, or from
any place in the United States to an
adjacent foreign country, or from any
place in the United States through a
loreign country to any other place in
the United States; provided that the
abovo exceptions shall not apply to
railroads less than 100 miles in
length whoso principal business is
leasing or furnishing terminal or
transfer facilities to other railroads,
or are themselves engaged in trans
fers of freight between railroads or
between railroads and industrial
plants.
Section 2. That tli Pri,iQf
shall appoint a commission of three,
which shall observe the operation
and effects of the institution of the
8-hour standard work day as
abovo defined and tho conditions
affecting tho relations between such
common carriers and employees dur
ing a period of not less than six
months nor moro than nine months
in the discretion of the commission'
and within thirty days thereafter
buuu uummission snail report its
findings to the President and con
gress; that each member of the
commission created under tho pro
visions of this act shall receive such
compensation as may be fixed by the
President. The sum of $25,000, or
so much thereof as may be necessary
be, and hereby is, appropriated out
HE'S TWO YEARS OLD
Satterfiold in the New York Call.
of any money in the United States
treasury not otherwise appropriated,
for the necessary and proper expenses
incurred in connection with the work
of such commission, Including sal
aries, per diem, traveling expenses of
members and employees and rent,
furniture, office fixtures and sup
plies, books, salaries and other
necessary expenses, the same to be
approved by the chairman of said
commission and audited by the prop
er accounting officers of the treasury.
Section. 3. That pending the re
port of the commission, herein pro
vided for, and for a period of thirty
days thereafter, the compensation of
railway employees subject to this act
for a standard 8-hour work day shall
not be reduced below the present
standard day's wage and for all
necessary time in excess - of eight
hours such employees shall be paid
at a rate not less than the pro rata
rate for such standard 8-hoUr work
day. Section 4. That any person vio
lating any provision of this act shall
be guilty of a misdemeanor arid upon
conviction shall be fined not less than
$100 and not more than $1,000, or
imprisoned not to exceed one year,
or both.
ROUMANIA ENTERS WORLD WAR
The most important developments
of the European war situation dur
ing the month are the declaration of
war by Roumania against Austria on
August 28, and by Italy against Ger
many on August 27. Roumania is
the fourteenth nation to enter the
war:
A Paris cablegram, dated August
30, says: "La Liberte has received
from Geneva a summary of the Rou
manian declaration of war, as tele
graphed from Vienna. It ia a long
document, setting forth Roumania's
grievances. The persecution of Rou
manians by Austro-Hungarian offi
cials is alleged, and it is charged
that agreements which existed be
tween Roumania and the former
members of the Triple Alliance have
been broken in letter and spirit from
tho time Germany and Austria en
tered the war.
"Italy, the declaration says, was
obliged to detach herself from Aus
tria and Germany In conclusion,
the communication sets forth as
follows the motives in compelling
Roumania to enter the war:
"1. The Roumanian' population in
Austrian, territories is exposed to tho
hazards of war .and of invasion.
"2. Rumania believes that, by in
terfering, she. can shorten the war.
"3. Roumania places herself on
the side of those powers which she
believes can assist her most efficaci
ously in realizing her national
ideal."
A Berlin cablegram, dated August
27, says: The following official an
nouncement was made here today:
"The Italian government has de
clared, through the Swiss govern
ment, that it considers itself, from
August 28, at war with Germany."
FOREGONE CONCLUSION
Teacher "If a farmer sold 1,470
bushels of wheat at $1.17 a bushel,
what would he get?"
Boy "An automobile." Cincin
nati Enquirer.
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