The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-06-01


fitable subject Of discussion, and parti-
cularly go at this time Of the year,
when the agitation on that line takes
concrete form In the concerted demand
for a reduction Of the daily hours of
labor. The general principle involved
in the shorter workday Is, of course,
admitted by all to be sound. That 8
given number of hours appropriate
from labor to purposes of rest and re-
creation is so much added to the pleas
ure of existence Is self-evident. But,
just as there are men who would dis
pute the axioms Of geometry II their
interests required, there are those who
dispute the movement; for g. decrease. of
the working hours, on the grounds OF
slmpracsfcahility= OF ultimate disa1van-
tage. The contentious made in these
respects are that the reduction OF hours
implies. in Justice q corresponding re-
duction Of wages, and that more time
for pleasure means, in effect, more time
for wasteful and Injurious indulgence.
Naturally, We find in the trade union
constituting, as it does, the elementary
school of knowledge on such matters,
a number of men and women to whom
these sophistries appeal with all the
force of plain reasoning. Then, too, we
find older trade unionists who, while
they entirely discredit the argument
against the shorter workday, find them
selves trapped by insufficiency in their
argument. However true the instinct,
and however strong the faith, of these
latter, the achievement of the shorter
workday must still depend mainly upon
a conclusive vfndicatiOn, not only of its
justice, but also of its adaptability to
other existing interests and conditions.
1t Is not enough to rest the case upon
sentiment, no matter how widely ap-
proved. Statements that reduction of
the hours of labor is desirable on gen.
eral grounds Is the statement of a
mere abstraction, which places the
whole subject in the category with
many ideals which every rational mind
recognizes to be hopeiessly beyond the
realisation Of the present generation.
Now, that the question occupies 50
large q place in the field OF trade-union
thought and action, brief review of
the reasoning upon which the demand
for q shorter workday Is based will be
found opportune and invaluable.
Putin as few words as possible, the
trade union demand Il reduction OF
the hours OF labor on the grounds, first,
Of increased opportunities Of advance
ment on the part Of those already en-
ployed, and secondly, OF increased op-
portunities Of work for those previous
ly unemployed. The opposition Of the
employing class is based mainly upon
the contention that the reduction OF
hours is equivalent to an increase OF
wages. This, Of course, amounts to
saying that the labor performed is pro-
workday system. Here we note q COM
mon error in the conclusions Of many
trade-unionists.. To the employers
contention they reply that inasmuch az
the physical and mental powers OF the
worker are limited, 20 also il the
amount Of work that he can do; that
he can. and. az q matter Of fact, does
perform as much work m the shorter
as In the longer day. This statement
standing alone, fatty contradicts the
claim that the reduction Of hours in.
Ne SsSWS0 NA0 uSAAAHOH 1VX lANOEs = VHSUx1s
ately. the justification Of the shorter
work-day does not depend upon this
phase OF the question. It may be "a.
mitted that in certain CLASSES Of EN-.
ployment 40 much work can be turned
out In eight as In nine or ten hours;
but In view Of the increased use 81 ma.
chinery In almost every industry the
general rule 10 that the reduction Of
hours does not result in q correspondents
decrease in the product. OF labor. 30
too. It may be admitted that the re-.
duction Of the hours OF labor increSsel
for the time, the actual amo,ant Of
wages paid by the employers. 8 THESE
admissions really strengthen, rathe,
than weaken, the case tor the shortel
worxday; in fact. they. are the esseutial
ho t1IA <svH,rslA