The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-01
THE EIGHT HOURDAY
aomneRs PREDICTS SHORTENED
TIME FOR 5oo,oo> MEN.

suit OF the Demand, but Tan. MAJ n.
somo-says There VIII Be 20 Peeo,1,n.
tn tho Eight Hour Day Oon,..
Samuel Gompers, the presient of the
American Federation of Labc, who has
been visiting the larger citiess, the. east
in the interest Of the eight bar work
day movement was asked by. reporter
what would happen on May that be-
ing the day set for the enforement Of
the eight hour day by the labolunions.
He replied:
Twill venture to say that moo than
5000 workmcn will. beginniIy some
time in May, work an hour OF mcoe q
day less. than they work at the present
time -
will there be great strikes toaforce
the eight hour ruler" asked the rep-ter.
"Most of these 500, 900 will ge>the
eight hour day without striking for r. ~
was the reply. 81 do not want to nret;ct
that there will or will not be strihs
Once movements of this kind are star
ed, there is no telling where they will
end do not know at tho present time
that any great strikes orc contemplated
or will be necessary.
What branches Of trade will lead in
tho mOvement?''
Il cannot say that at present. The
data ere at the headquarters OF tho fed
eration, and I cannot speak CERTAINLY
without them. The building trades
generally have the eight hour day in
the larger cities Someof them, though,
still work nine hours, and these men
very generally will demand and Will
get without strtke the eight hour day.
There are some local unions In this
trade unattached to any national organ
izatton. These unions will make the
demand. and think that they will.aet
it"
Are these unions IN the c&taes Won
have visited?''
Some Of them are. There have been
many conferences lately IN all the cities
between the representativeeof the trades
unions and the employers In reference
to the eight hour rule Tho men have
been met in a spirit of fairness The re-
suit OF these conferences will be seen in
the large industrial centers about Nav
4, Which Is the first Monday In the
month The day g work will be leesened
but there will be no decrease of pay."
Does it extend to all trades?''
J "Oh, no; it docs not. In many trades
the hours of labor have been ten or eleven
q day. In many of these the hours will
be cut down to nine: The eight hour
day viii not be asked for in these trades
However, do not wane 10 predict. At
this time, as told you, it is extremely
difficult to say what dimensions this
movement will take The reduction in
the hours of labor is doe 10 several
causes. The great advance in machin-
cry, the discovery and application of
new forces to industry, the improve.
menfs IN the tools Of labor, the divi.
sions and subdivisions in.various depart-
ments of labor, oil tend TO increase the
productivity Of the laborer.
AT the same time the capacftv 70
consume has not increased With This
increase in the production capacity of
The workers the army of the unem.
ployed has become more vast. These
unemployed are always menace both
10 the employer and the employed. The
support and control Of these men and
he lessening Of their numbers are
'reat social problem, to the working ont
u which thousands have devoted their
'nerg1es. Federation men claim that
he reduction in the hours Of labor ia
he most rational Of all the plans. Ev.
~ man agrees that somsthing must be
lone to relieve the abnormal conditions
II our industrial and commercial affairs
md to make the existence of those now
unemployed somewhat more consistent
With humane conditions The disagree
nent is as to the methods Some adyo-
ate revolution. The trades unions adj
ocate evolution. We believe that there
las been no proposition which is 30
thoroughly calculated TO bring about
etter and more consistent and adyan-
ageous solution of the question than
he one offered by the American FEEDER
ton OF Labor in the movement to re-
uce the hours Of labor. I have found
his to be the opinion of the employers
nd the employed in the cities l have
listed 1 have found, too, in these
tues a greater tendency on the part of |
he employers to meet the men and to !
rant their just demands. The tendency
to meet them in spirit Of fairness
meet them half way, in fact have
ound that large number CT employers
ave learned to respect the trades unions
nd TO recognize that concession is bet
sr for all concerned than conflict. I
nd they have also learned that the
greements with the representatives of |
rades unions are more generally lived
p to IN every way than are agreements
nth individuals am certain that the
uniting of the hours of labor to eight