The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-02
1t WIN HELM the Unemp,oved.

By William Humphreys. Late Special Agent of the
New York Labor Bureau.
Further reduction and uniform eight-hour
day is now claimed for workingmen Eight
hours work, eight hours recreation, and eight
hours rest is the isochronal. One result of an
eight-hour work-day would be reduction in the
number of the unemployed. The work of the
world would 60 on just the same. 1t is sug-
gested that the superior workers would not get
the preference to which their ability entities
them. That is question apart from hours Of
labor, need it follow at all, unless under the
theory that a poor workman requires as much
food and other life facilities as good workman,
and 30 ought to be paid according to his needs
not to his works. On broad humanitarian
principle of universal charity this doctrine might
hold; but on the theory of the disturbances Of
human progress and perfectability such theory
is not only untenable, but pernicious. 1t takes
away potent inducement to the best possible,
unless there were a total reconstruction OF So
ciety on an altruistic basis to which mankind
rather tends just now in profession.
The most active of our labor agitators and re-
formers are the craftsmen and mechanics. those
who make something in whole or In part. Of
our male wage-workers not over so per cent.
mechanics; the rest are clerks, statesmen, agri-
culturists etc. Thus, then, the eight hour day
for the mechanics must be also reduced to eight
hours for trades, farmers and professionals else
a social injustice is DONE At present that So
cial injustice is fragrant There is reason
why eight hours labor should not be enough for
our social requirements. but it will necessarily
involve reduction of wages from ten hours pay
to eight hours pay. Against this we may off
set the cost to society of supporting the men
who are now compelled to stand idle, and yet
feed at the common crib. The equation is eight
men employed at ten hours, against ten men at
eight hours; in the first case, with two men I'M
employed aud in the latter, with none unem-
ployed. If this last prevails it will throw
large number of both men and women into more
equalized occupation, thus reaching the present
sum of production by the increased number of
producers and more equitable division of wage
earning.
With the adoption of the eight-hour work day
two conditions. would require readjustment.
Those who work outdoors, and lose their work
by bad weather and change of seasons would be
unfavorably placed, as compared with those
working indoors. Increased rate of wages in
outdoor trades now meet that disadvantage.
The other condition is that of labor associated
with machinery. In that case, as machinery
cannot stand still, there must be succession of
relays, just as there now is between day workers
and night-workers in the one shop or factory.
Whether those men VINO now work ten hours
would profit by the two hours leisure must de-
pend on the individual character. Pessimists
say that the two hours would be wasted on street
corners and bar-rooms. Optlmists contend that
the men could 60 to the libraries do the family
chores. There is no certainty as to the moral
result but it seems pretty sure that the unem-
ployed would get some chance from which they
are now shut off