Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-06-08
THE HALF HOLIDAY MovGmEaT AID
THE CLAIMS OF THE EMPLOYED.


A movement is again on foot, which ap.
pears to have mere substantial support in
the country generally, than any of its
predecessors OF like character, to establish
Saturday afternoon Of each week as half
holiday. As matter Of course it has its
origin among toilers for wages, but there
are few large employers of prominenos
who have given it their sanction. There
can be no question whatever that the labor
ing classes, all workers in Offices, and gen.
erally all who toll, would be benefited by
the holiday. They would rect more salts
factorily on the day Of reat-Sunday-
since Saturday afternoon would be given
up more to recreation or to purely secular
engagements. They would 60 back to
work on Monday better fitted for the dis
charge of duty. They would wear longer,
AMI, it is claimed, would. proper
tionately to the time served, accomplish
more, take the year round. But, az viii
be seen. to grant the half holiday, means
to cut off exactly one-twelfsh of the pro.
ductive capacity Of labor as measured by
time. Against this It can probably be
shown that for the five and half remain
ing days the worker would produce some
what more as result of the additional
rest and recreation allowed. To say then
one-sixteenth, or one-eighteenth less
labor product would result to CAPT
tai, will be fair estimate.
Granted that the half holiday would be
blessing TO our people, that it would ad.
vance us physically and improve us So
ciAIy, give greater content to the worker
with his lot, and generally prove bsnefis
to the country the remaining question is,
can employers be brought to make the
sacri6ce2 For whatever sacrifice there is
in the scheme must be borne by them; it
is q case in which labor asks all and capital
rives all. Whatever il accomplished by
The movement Will be test of tie gener-
Gus side of capital, for the plan presrpposes
the fall days wage tor the half day labor,
otherwise the afternoon would be no hoi'
day, bat result eimply in a wage reduction.
Az a rule capitals generous eide is not
found conlemporsneously With less toitssf
or any narrowing Of tie bounds Of It's re-
ward. While we consider the general
adoption of Che hsli holiday as extremely
doubtful, we sre convinced that 1t should
obtain. And it is to be credited to capital
that it has made concessions for long
period in this direction. In huadFeds Of
toSrs aud cities clerks in ofiesa are re-
leased from the desk Al hour earlier on
Saturday, aud in many places Of
fee hours on thas day close at noon,
aud the clerical force is dismissed
an hour or SO later. TIE careful observer
must have noted that for the past thirty
years the tendency of employers has been
to give greater liberty from working hours
to the employed. The rigors of shop, fac
tory and office have greatly relaxed in the
last quarter of q century. In the matter
OF summer holidays. = vast number of en-
ploying establishments at stated annual or
monthly wages. give certain period of
vacation TO employees withou. suspension of
wages or salary. IL some cases the en-
ployer psrempsOrily requires the employe
{, get out OF the harness fer S week, AZ
Isast and 70 seek change OF scene and
air whether he desires TO CT rot lis en-
tiraly fair 70 cay that it ia rot wholly a
generous impulse which moves the enc
pleyer in this mstser-shoush often sin.
esre regard for tbs employe and reoosri.
tion Of bis industry sni devotion. IS the
ruling uotive-f1r employers aavs found il
60 their gain 70 retrsah their force Of work