Evening star., 1899-04-19
President Gompers Of the Federation
Of Labor Continues.
ECONOMIC VALUE OF STRIKES
What Has BeenAccomplishedb by the
Short Hour Movement.
EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN

Mr.. Samuel Gompers continued his testi-
mony before the industrial commission this
morning. Mr.. Phillips called the commits
sion to order and Mr.. Farquhar led in the
examination of the witness.
He spoke of the need Of reducing the
hours of labor In proportion to the increas-
Ing production of machinery in order that
the displacement of labor might be lessen
ed. Machinery was not regarded as having
lightened the hours of labor. such lighten-
ing of labor, if 1t had really occurred, hav-
ing been brought about by trade organiza-
tions. The labor of attending highly speed
ed machinery was so great that 1t was
question whether machinery had lightened
the task of the workers. He recounted the
history of the machine and the element
that artificial light in the form of gas had
taken in lengthening the hours of labor.
The rise and growth of trade unionism in
Great Britain was followed at considerable
length.
Speaking of laws limiting the hours of
labor of children. he said that four years
ago Alabama passed law limiting such
labor to sixty hours week. He had lately
learned that this law had been repealed
because 1t was said that it would prevent
English and northern capital coming into
the state. The act repeating the law
should have been entitled: IAN act to sac
in order that per cent dividend may
be declared upon northern and English
capital
Economic Advantages of a Strike.
There was a very widespread erroneous
idea of the strike 1t was the effort Of rea-
sonable men to organize workers in such
way that they might have power to adjust
their differences without the strike, but yet
under certain conditions he recognized its
economic advantages.
Society he said, loves a debt of graft
tude to organized labor that is can never
repay, because 1t is organized labor that
has prevented conditions that would be alb
solutely In conflict with human progress"
Hours of labor should be especially limit
ed for women, and children should not be
permitted in the factories under sixteen
years of age.
"At the opening of the twentieth century,
with steam and electricity highly developed
and with machinery in great perfection, we
have the spectacle of idle men and busy
children!" he declared The education and
proper development of a child is felt as an
influence for good throughout its life and
in the next generation.
I'm our industrial establishments" said
Mr.. Gompers, you will today frequently
find Scotch, English or German slperin-
tendent or foreman. In two decades our
boys have become specialized to do small
part of some business, and they know little
VI lie StIleidl lTdue OF lney are
expert at that specialized branch of the
trade alone"
A statement had been made by one of the
previous witnesses that the special worker
showed peculiar evidences in his face of
that fact. Mr.. Gompers said he had no
doubt that the specialist worker employed
for a long series of years on doing small
/ part In the operation of a small machine
suffered physically and mentally because Of
the monotony to which he is subjected.
A halter had posed before the world as a
friend of the American boy, and had en-
ployed children instead Of men in making
hats. This attitude. he said was really one
of hypocrisy, and was prompted by love
fof dollars rather than love of the Amer
| ioan boy. The halter had complained that
he could not get union hatters to do his
work. He would be able to get them were
it not for the fact that he is not willing to
pay a living wage for men,
The Eight-HOur Day
Mr.. Gompers said he thought the average
work day in the United States was nine and
ore-half hours. The effort in this country
for an eight-hour work day had been inaus,-
III ated and carried on by the Federation of
Labor. which in 1881 passed resolution
favoring the reduction of the hours of work
to eight per day. The shorter work day
was regarded as a most potent factor In the
intellectual and social uplifting of the work.
ing people. The agitation of 1886 and the
extensive strikes in that year favoring an
eight day resulted in decreasing the
hours OF labor in the United States on an
average of one hour a day. The throwing
of a bomb in Chicago, resulting in the loss
of life of a number of policemen while not
In the remotest way associated with those
VINO We're working for a shorter day yet
had the effect of effectually stopping that
movement, and it was NOT again taken uD
until after a period of four years.
Results of Shorter Hour Movement.
When the hour movement was again
taken up about 1890 the carpenters and
joiners were selected by the Federation of
Labor to make the first demand for a
shorter work day. They struck and the
result was that all over this country the
carpenters today work eight or nine hours
The miners were then selected to demand
a shorter day, but local dissensions rem
dered their efforts less effectual Before
the Federation of Labor concentrated its
efforts on shorter work-day the employees
on street railways worked from fourteen
to eighteen hours a day. Now they work
from ten to twelve hours. few of them
working nine hours. In other trades these
same general facts were borne out The
effect of the shorter day had been accom-
panied by increased pay and did not have
the effect Of reducing the pay as some of
the workers feared. This increase of pay
followed whether the men worked by the
piece or by the day. There had been more
progress made in the reduction of the hours
of work between 1884 and 1899 than in any
OtneT SlInlldF ptTlOu III the history OF the
United States. This was due to the per-
sistent and concentrated efforts made by
the Federation of Labor, he thought.
Mr.. Gompers said the bill IN the last
Congress amending the eight-hour law
would have become law ''had it not been
for the fact that United States senator
played us false
The amendment to the eight-hour law, he
said. had been criticised as being too wide
reaching. 1t had been said that 1t would
require all the material used on a public
building should have been produced under
the eight-hour day, but he claimed it was
clear it referred to nothing that could be
bought in the open market.
The commission desired to have Mr. Com
pers continue his testimony this afternoon
but he was obliged to leave the city and de-
ferred his further remarks until some fu-
ture day.
The commission took a recess until 2
O'Clock.
To Hear Secretary McGufre.
The commission expects to hear Mr.. p J.
Mcclure, general secretary of the Carpen-
ters' and Joiners Brotherhood. this after
noon.
WILL SUCCEED GEN. HENRY,