The times., 1898-09-30
MIR. MURPHY's APPEAL.
International Typographical Union
Desires shorter Work Hours.


Tho printers of the United States be-
longing to the International Typograph-
ical Union are making an effort to reduce
the hours of their labor from ten to nine
hours per day. This has been agitated
for some time, but so far nothing has
been particularly accomplished other than
the preliminary movements leading TO
final adjustment of the matter.
AT the last convention of the Interna-
tional Typographical Union, held at Col
orado Springs, strong resolution was
presented which met the unanimous ap-
proval of all the delegates present. The
gist Of the resolution was that on and
after certain date to be named later
the maximum hours of labor in book
and job offices under the jurisdiction Of
the International Typographical Union be
fixed at nine hours per day, or fifty-four
hours per week.
This if it prevails viii have no effect
on the union IN the District of Columbia,
as eight hours constitute days work
here.
James ]. Murphy of New York chair
man of the international Typographical
Union committee, has recently promul-
union in which he has very carefully en-
bodied all the points maintained by the
printers. Mr.. Murphy goes into consid-
cradle detail, setting forth every fact
tersely and making the matter exceed
ingly comprehensive to all interested.
He argues that it behooves every mem
ber of the union to stand ready to assist
in every way in striving TO reduce the
hours of labor According to Mr. Murphy
he atfle Is for shorter hOurs and the
members are made to clearly understand
that when the date, which is near at
hand for the enforcement of the shorter
working day arriyesi If it is resisted in any
general manner by employers, the mem
bers of the union will be called upon to
assist in the fight in providing funds with
which TO carry it on.
Mr.. Murphy also urges that each union
appoint a committee Immediately, which
he terms a shorter work day committee,
of five members, whose special duty it
shall be TO attend to all matters on the
subject and advise with the International
/ Union shorter work day committee on the
local conditions as TO the progress of the
work in their section. He suggests to the
members of the union to not be alarmed,
but to build up and strengthen their un-
ion in every way and replenish their
treasures. He insists that there must be
but that every union man has duty to
perform. ''One united effort he declares
and the ten-hour day is thing of the
past"
Mr.. Murphy further states that since
the agitation began over seventy unions
have reduced their hours of labor. At the
present time 153 unions are working on a
shorter work day basis.
He commends the members of the Inter
NJ TNnnQrr-sa nh
reverence and loyalty to the parent body
He claims that notwithstanding the intro
ducticn of typesetting machines in the
past few years has displaced temporarily
hundreds OF fellow members, by cOnserya-
tive action the l. T U. has succeeded
in reducing the number of hours and in
creasing the scale of wages. and in ad-
dition has a larger membership than
ever before in its history
Mr.. Murphy states that 1t is doubtful if
another organization could have lived or
existed after such a crucial test.