Evening star., 1902-02-26
THE EIGHT-HOUR LAW
HOUSE LABOR Committee HEARS
ARaUMMNTs TODAY.
Mr.. A. c. Dinkey spsaks Against the
Measure ana Mr.. Gompers
Favors Its Passage.

The House committee on labor again con-
sidered the eight-hour bill today, hearing
opponents OF the bill and also Mr.. Samuel
Gompers, who appeared to advocate 1t.
Those who opposed the bill were Mr.. A. C.
Dinkey, general superintendent of the
Homestead steel works; Judge Mccain
mon. representing the Bethlehem and Car
negie works, and former Secretary Her
bert. the Midvale iron works.
After a formal statement by Mr. Dinkey,
both Judge McCammon and Mr.. Herbert
indorsed what he had said, and in the dis
cussion Mr.. Gompers, who was present.
became implicated incidentally. He had
not appeared before the committee to make
a statement. but Judge McCammon ad-
dressed some of his remarks directly to
Mr. Gompers, and at the conclusion Of his
argument Mr.. Gompers took 1t upon HIM
self to critcise the attorneys Of the big
steel works who are opposing the bill He
said they came forward with the argument
that it was impossible to perform certain
classes of work in eight hours, and on that
they opposed the passage Of the bill. In
the next breath, he continued, they say
they would favor an eight-hour system if
1t could be adopted universally.
He then asked the question as to which
horn of this dilemma they would take.
Chairman Gardner OF the committee, after
the arguments bad been made, summed
up the situation by saying that the question
Of whether certain classes of work could be
done in eight hours seemed to be the vital
point at issue. This Question. he said. was
clearly one which could be settled by the
testimony Of persons who actually knew the
conditions. He suggested that expert testi-
mony be brought on this point. Judge Nc
Cannon reminded Chairman Gardner that
their witnesses had testified that the work
could not be done in eight hours and Mr.
Gompers interrupted to state that he had
arranged to have workmen who actually
did the work appear before the committee
and testify on this point.
Mr.. Dinkey's Statement.
Mr. Dinkey has been general superintend-
ent of the Homestead Steel Works for fif
teen years, and spoke more especially as to
what he believed would be the effect of an
eigh-hour law on the work done at Home
stead ..
In this connection he declared that an
eight-hour law would be highly objectiona-
BILE both to employer and employee: that If
the pending bill became law it would 80
interfere with the proper method of Operat-
ing now in force at the works as to make
it impracticable to undertake any govern
ment work at Homestead
He said the system under which his plant
was at present working constituted q de-
veiopment in methods Of operation which
started at the beginning Of the concern
and has continued to the present day.
And will continue remarked Mr.. Dinkey.
This development has changed methods,
machinery and hours Of labor. Each sue
cessive step 1 believe to be to the mutual
advantage of both employees and employer.
At the present time about one-third of our
men are what are commonly known as
tonnage men. These men are on duty
twelve hours, from six In the morning till
six in the evening, and six In the evening
till six in the morning. The balance Of the
men are on day work. and are on duty
ten hours in the day time and twelve at
night and are paid a certain rate per hour.
We have very few positions in the works
which have been found advantageous for
both company and the men to have on eight
hour shifts"
In conclusion Mr.. zDinkey said that
from his experience with men under him
they would be opposed to the enactment
of an eight-hour law. as the inevitable re-
suit would be reduction in their wages