The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-23
THE STRIKE SITUATION.

The indications are strong that the strike
day will be comparatively short and will
end in their demand being granted. The
public generally hopes this may be so. The
demand for a nine-hour day is reasonable
and just and its establishment is inevitable.
1t is foolish for employers not to recognize
that conditions have undergone a great
change in the industrial world during the
last twenty or thirty years. Within the
memory of men now living twelve hours
constituted days work in all occupations.
and it was thought by many that any at
tempt to establish a shorter working day
would undermine and disrupt our whole in
dustrial system. But it has not The work
ing day reduced first 10 eleven hours.
then TO ten. and in government and munic-
ipal employments to eight hours, without
injury to our Industrial interests or lessen
ing production. Under steadily decreasing
hours of labor the United States has be-
come the leading manufacturing and ex-
porting country of the world. and what
more could be asked? Thanks to American
inventive talent and improved machinery
and American skill and improved methods
we are able to produce far more in ten
hours than formerly did in twelve, and
no doubt we could maintain our manufac-
turing and commercial supremacy with a
universal working day of nine even eight
hours. The spirit of the age demands the
most liberal treatment of workmen and
wage earners consistent with economic
conditions. There are other things in life
more important than the accumulation of
wealth or the increase of production. 1t is
not desirable that the list of millionaires or
multi-millionaires should be indefinitely ex-
tended at the cost of manhood or by exact
ing overwork from the producers of wealth.
1t is not necessary that employers should
get rich quick through the labors of their
employees. Labor is an institution of divine
origin, and should not be prostituted in the
interests of selfish greed or avarice. Work
is necessary, honorable and ennobing, but
overwork is the reverse. Rest is a divine
institution no less than labor, and is quite
as necessary to keeping up the machinery
of the world Whenever there is reason to
believe that production will not be ma
terially diminished or the interests of So
ciety in general suffer from a reduction in
the hours of work they should be reduced.
That has been the tendency for many years
past and in spite of all opposition will con-
tinue to be until the equilibrium between
capital and labor shall be established on a
fairer and juster basis than any that has
existed heretofore. The logic OF events and
the certainty that nine-hour working
day will ultimately prevail furnish a strong
argument in favor of it's prompt acceptance
by employers. large proportion of them,
perhaps a majority, seem TO have recog-
nized the situation by promptly conceding
the demands OF the workmen. Those who
refuse to do so will simply prolong the
strike to the detriment of business and
their own embarrassment without averting
the inevitable outcome. Employers should
recognize the logic of a situation which is
beyond their control and hasten to meet
half way conclusion which is bound to
come in spite of temporary opposition.