Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-13
EIGHT HOURS A DAY.
A Congressman Proposes to Have the
Law Apply to Department Clerks.

"Our motto just now is "A fair days work for
fair days pay" said a member of the west
ern congressional association to a STAB re-
porter yesterday evening.
"Well, you get the pay, why don't you do the
work2' retorted the reporter, and then, lest
his sarcasm choke off an item of news he
queried: What does your motto refer TOP
The trans-Missouri statesman stuck his No. 10
hands into his breeches' poke is, and after
dancing his pantaloons up and down four or
five times said: "we want to get more work
for the millions Of dollars which are annually
expended in the departments in this city, and
We think we can get it without causing any one
serious hardship. This great government has
written in it's statute book a decree which states
that eight-hours shall constitute a days work
for Its employees. What good and sufficient
reason can you give why department clerks,
copylsts and messengers should not spend as
many hours day in toll as the people in
the government printing Office or the navy
yardf stop a minute now; you were going
to say that's a weak argument and you were
going to ask me why didn't advocate reduc-
tlon OF the hours in those places. There is no
reason why they should be reduced. Any man
or woman able to work at all can stand eight
hours OF 1t when there is an interrupting lunch
or dinner hour. Work in the departments is
piling up mountains high and yet the great
government buildings are emptied OF all per-
sons save the watchmen and charwomen while
the winter sun is more than two hours above
the western horizon. Frequently, quite often
indeed. the heads Of those departments work
away until long after dark, but they work alone.
The elght-hour law affords them no protection.
But their clerks-they are the people / am talk
ing about. They commence to work at and
finish at 4, having in the meantime enjoyed
half-hours rest for lunch. For the most part
they are quartered in comfortable offices, prop
erly heated, lighted and ventilated, and I am
glad to know that it is 80. 1t should be
SO In every instance so far as possible.
why should they object to performing
eight hours labor for six days a week?
Holidays are plentiful and advantage is
Der greater. while each individual is annually
entitled to thirty days leave with pay. Out in
the west government employees are treated with
less consideration-they earn every cent that is
paid them. In the post offices they get to work
at o O'Clock in the morning and they stay with
their job until 8 o'clock at night, although
their recompense is invariably less than that Of
their highly favored brethren and sisters in
this city. We members of the association-not
al OF US, perhaps-have talked the matter over
with good deal of seriousness and the pri-
mary result will be seen IN the introduction of
a Dill which will require clerks to be at their
desks at a. m. and to remain there, with an
hour . interval at noon, until 5 pm. We re-
GARD that as a fair proposition, and, although
u may interfere with some of the society
ducks, 1t won't break anybody's heart nor
viii 1t endanger the foundations of this repub-
lie. We are going to push that BILL and don't
you forget to remember that said So"