Executive Order 2705—Suspending the Eight-Hour Day in the Bureau of Standards

Under authority contained in the Naval Appropriation Act approved March 4, 1917 (Public No. 391, 64th Congress) whereby it is provided-

"That in case of national emergency the President is authorized to suspend provisions of law prohibiting more than eight hours labor in any one day of persons engaged upon work covered by contracts with the United States: Provided further, That the wages of persons employed upon such contracts shall be computed on a basic day rate of eight hours work with overtime rates to be paid for at not less than time and one-half for all hours work in excess of eight hours ;"

It is hereby ordered that during the present national emergency the provisions of law limiting the hours of daily service of mechanics and laborers to eight hours in any one day on work under contracts to which the United States is a party are suspended with respect to all contracts of the Bureau of Standards, Department of Commerce, for the construction of an emergency laboratory building to be used for the purpose of standardizing equipment, instruments, and apparatus for the Army and Navy, and other buildings that may be erected and used for research, testing and experimental work in connection with the present national emergency. This order shall take effect from and after this date.

WOODROW WILSON

THE WHITE HOUSE,

September 20, 1917.