Executive Order 8797 Constitutional Neutral (+0.02)

Executive Order 8797—Suspension of Eight-Hour Law as to Mechanics and Laborers Employed by the War Department in the Construction of Public Works Necessary for the National Defense in the Canal Zone, Puerto Rico, and the Territory of Alaska

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Wednesday, June 18, 1941

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2 min read (360 words)

Plain-English Translation & Framers' Constitutional Analysis

Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.

This executive order, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 1941-06-18, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Suspension of Eight-Hour Law as to Mechanics and Laborers Employed by the War Department in the Construction of Public Works Necessary for the National Defense in the Canal Zone, Puerto Rico, and the Territory of Alaska." It outlines operative directives for executive department officers, delegating enforcement responsibilities and establishing official governance guidelines.

Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.

Key Directives & Operative Actions

▪ 340, as amended by the act of March 3, 1913, 37 Stat.

Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted

🏛️ Armed Forces & Military Establishments 🏛️ Executive Departments & Federal Civil Servants 🏛️ Private Citizens & Property Owners

Total Words

360

2,119 characters

Estimated Read Time

2 min

@ 200 words / min

Flesch-Kincaid

38.6

Post-Grad reading level

Constitutional Polarity

+0.02

Framers' Alignment index

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Scholarly & Legal Citations

Exec. Order No. 8797, Franklin D. Roosevelt (Jun 18, 1941). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-8797-suspension-eight-hour-law-mechanics-and-laborers-employed-the-war.

Official Document Text

Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)

Original Source →

Whereas the War Department has commenced the construction of cantonments, air fields, fortifications and other public works which are necessary for the national defense in the Canal Zone, Puerto Rico, and the Territory of Alaska; and Whereas the interests of national defense require the completion of such public works at the earliest practicable date; and Whereas by section 1 of the act of August 1, 1892, 27 Stat. 340, as amended by the act of March 3, 1913, 37 Stat. 726 (U.S.C., title 40, section 321), the service of all laborers and mechanics employed by the Government upon any public work of the United States is limited to eight hours in any one day, except In case of extraordinary emergency; and Whereas it appears that, unless the eight hour limitation is suspended as to laborers and mechanics employed by the War Department in the construction of the foregoing public works, it will be impossible, because of the remoteness of such places from sources of labor supply in the United States, and because of the difficulties of housing and transporting additional labor from the United States, to accomplish the work necessary to the completion of such public works within the time required by the interests of national defense; and Whereas I find that by reason of the foregoing an extraordinary emergency exists; Now, Therefore , by virtue of the authority vested in me by section 1 of the said act of August 1, 1892, as amended by the said act of March 3, 1913, and as President of the United States, I hereby suspend, for the duration of the emergencies proclaimed by me on September 8, 1939 and May 27, 1941, the abovementioned provisions of law prohibiting more than eight hours labor in any one day of laborers and mechanics employed by the Government of the United States as to all work performed by laborers and mechanics employed by the War Department in the construction of cantonments, air fields, fortifications and other public works which are necessary for the national defense in the Canal Zone, Puerto Rico, and the Territory of Alaska. FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT The White House, June 18, 1941.