The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1892-06-09
Eight Hour Movement In New South
Wales, Australia.

DAS "e AVuA 1"V'0nOAo IN NOW oOutA
Wales, Australia.
In fact nearly the whole of the
immigration until lately has been o.
British and American extraction
with small sprinkling OF Germans
a composition pretty hard to beat
anywhere.
The workers of these extractions
never tried, until 1891, for repre-.
sentation in the Legislature, but
they did form the strongest kinds OF
trades unions, and by means of these
unions they forced eight hours to be
recognized by all concerned as a
standard days work, although it is
not legalized as yet.
The full benefits derived from the
eight-hour system may never be
fully known, but the eight hours
sleep enables men to accomplish
their work lightly, and the eight
hours recreation has resulted in
Australians being recognized all
over the world as the athletes Spar
excellence. Nor was this all, for
this beneficial system not only dis.
penses strength to the bodies, but
gives time for the intelligent to read
such books as Gronlund's "Co.opera-
tive Commonwealth" Bellamy's
Looking Bo ckward," Henry
Georges Progress and Poverty
and host of others, and to torn
their own independent opinions
Further than this even does the
eight hours for recreation 90. l
gives the workers ample time to at
tend union meetings, and there the,
learn the laws and rules of parlia
mentary debate and procedure, am
become fluent speakers.
Nor have the results stopped witt
the reading and studying of books
and attendance on meetings of trade
unions and organizations for socia
and political reform. The mems
minds being employed, they do not
as rule, think of seeking the public
houses or saloons for recreation
They are men of education, ant
when they meet politicians of tn
old school they lshe workers. prov
themselves superior speakers an,
debaters. Moreover, abstinenc
from drink has reserved for them al
amount of superabundant vitalit
unknown to their whisky-drinkinj
opponents. Thus, in many ways
the eight-hour system has proved /,
blessing to workers.
Labor forced to enter politics.
Such were the conditions existin.
in New South Wales when the grea
strike of 1890 took place. Tha
strike occurred as follows: The
marine officers had respectfully ask
ed the ship owners over and over
again for better pay, but were al
ways put of until patience ceased
20 be q virtue. They had never
affiliated with the other labor unions
But, seeing that they could do moth
ing through the medium of theil
own association, they decided t.
throw in their lot with the othe,
wage>earners' unions, and these un
ions loyalty come to the officers
support, hence the strike. Howeve
the strike eventually collapse,
through the employers ofNew Soutl
Wales and tie other Australian col
onies forming an Associated En-
ployers' Union," and privilege cam
out on top for the time being. Blu
it may and probably will eventual
that winning the strike and beatin,
the workers was one of the wors
pitfalls that capitalism has yet me
with, for it forced labor to ente
politics. The workers found on
during the'bitter experience OF tina
strike that the only hope for labo
lay in capturing the legislature.