New-York tribune., 1886-05-03
EIGHT HOURS-BY FORCE.

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EIGHT HOURS-BY FORCE.
II Is said that 40 600 persons are on strike I'D
Chicago alone. Probably this Is exaggera-
.ion. for it would represent population Oh a'
least 100. 900 directly affected, besides others
Indirectly deprived of work by the stoppagc Oh
various establishments. though not themselves
strikers. But even if tie latter were lnciuded
in the 40 600 idle the broad fact that quarter
OF the population of great city Is withou'
nrescut means of support is sufficiently I'M
nressive. In many other cities at the west the
same disorder in greater or less degree now
nreyails. No terms of cxaggeration are needed
70 impress upon the mind the importance OF IA
movement so general as this. Though the
number OF workers engaged cannot be an
burdycdth part of all the workers i'll the United
States it is very large, and the movement
affects all the life, the industry and the trade
Of MANY cities. and the districts about them.
This BODY of workers demands eight hours
The Knights of Labor endeavorcd to coniihc
the demand to the question OF time. Dut the
trades unions have Generally gone beyond the
advice of leaders and in most cases insist upon
ten hours wages for eight hours work. Here
the ouestion arises whether the industry and
trade of the country as a whole can bear the
addition of one -ouartcr to the cost of prOduc-
ING everything eaten, worn or used. Ii not'
mart of the workers want to add to the COST OF
their nroducts, at the expense OF others whose
products will remain unchanged in cost. trades
union leaders do not seem TO have made their
followers understand this but 1t Is neVel'he-
less the vital point. If the cost OF production
is to be increased in one city or one branch OF
bus,pess and not in others, somebody must SUI
fer because of the additional wages gained
Either competitors elsewhere Will take away
business from the eight-hour city or orahch OF
industry. so that the suffering will fall upon the
eight hour men, who will presently nave not
enough work, or they will be able to force the
rest of the country to pay advance, and In
that case an additional bur,N will fall upon
all the rest of the labOrers in order that the
300. 900. more or less, may have what they
want.
In many branches Of work it is not possible
to limit the hours of labor in this fashion. In
others the demand now made cannot be granted
without stopping costly machinery ana power for
two of the present working hours OF each day.
An establishment has machinery and power cost
ing n Million let us say, and has trade enough to
keen il busy ten but not sixteen hours. 10
attemnt to run two shifts eight hours each
vould mean bankruptcy. But to run only one
shift eight hours would involve the same cost
IN interest on the outlay, say 81 900 per week,
and nearly the same cost OF fuel, power ana
administration as if there were quarter more
working hours and quarter more production.
What do the labor reformers propose to meet
this difficulty The plain truths that they do
not seem to have comprehendedit, and have no
practical change to propose. Ihey nave looked
inst far enough to see that they want eight
hours, with or without increased pay per hour.
| Whether the employing establishment can con-
tInue to exist and employ at all on such con-
ditions, they have not tried TO ascertain.
There is another point to be considered.
| The persons striking are not one III an hundred
of the workers in the United States. The re-
naming ninety nine must be affected by their
action. If the wheels are to run, or the shops
to remain open, or the hands to continue an es-
sential part of the work, only eight hours daily,
| the rest in the same establishment must be cut
down to eight hours alsO whether they wish or
not. Thus part propose to dictate hours OF
labor to the rest. And as to the larger class,
who now work ten hours and do not strike or
propose any change, they are to be compelled
| TO nav for the products Of eight hour industry
fifth more than before, IN order that the eight
bour workers shall have more leisure. But has
an hundredth part of the laborers of the United
States the right, if they have the power, thus to
extort whatever they please from the rest : Is
not this another case of attempted despotism
of the few over the manyf