Executive Order 2572—Temporarily Suspending Eight-Hour Law Provisions in the Department of Agriculture
In order to enable the Department of Agriculture to meet the requirements of law to secure the more expeditious distribution of valuable seeds authorized by law, and by virture of the authority vested in me by the provisions of the Act of Congress approved March 4, 1917, entitled "An Act making appropriations for the naval service for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and eighteen, and for other purposes," 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," I do hereby authorize the suspension of the provisions of law prohibiting more than eight hours of labor in any one day of persons engaged in such work under contract with, the Department of Agriculture for thirty days in order to meet present emergency conditions.
This order shall take effect from and after this date.
WOODROW WILSON
THE WHITE HOUSE,
April 3, 1917.
Woodrow Wilson, Executive Order 2572—Temporarily Suspending Eight-Hour Law Provisions in the Department of Agriculture Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/275402