Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-12-11
THE civic FEDERATION
resurrection of Output Discussed BY
Professor Commons.
ADVOCATES MUTUAL TRUST
makes u Plea For a Better U.a.r
"'a"ding Between Employer and
"p'"yed - His Views On
the Shorter WORLDLY.

New York, Dec. 10. - The Nationa
CIVIC federation during the day dis
cuSsed TWO subjects of Importance in
Tue labor field - The Restriction of
output and Shorter Hours" AMONG
the speakers of the day was Professor
JOIN II. Commons, who is regarded as
qualihed to discuss restriction of output
because he is now collecting data on
the subject for Carroll d. Wright COM
missioner of labor.
rrolessor Commons at the outset said
lilat what is needed is an understand
ING between employer and employee
WIN mutual concessions and mutuoI
trust. Then, taking up the direct ton
lc' Professor Commons discussed the
matter of shorter workday:
a shorter workday is simply one form
OF the demand for higher wages. II
means high wages for the time of work
Does increase in wages restrict outputo
now. wages and hours of labor are uues-
tiols exactly the opposite from those of
output or restrictions on output, By
wages and hours Of labor we mean simpIv
the rate of pay per hour received by the
workman. BY output We mean the
amount of product per hour which the
workman gives in return. Wages and out
put together determine cost, and If the
shorter day or higher wages bring greater
output per hour, then they are exactly
the opposite from restriction on OUTPUT.
rms is one of the reasons often advanced
for shorter hours-namely, that the longer
period for recuperation furnishes strength
for increasing the speed while at work
Closely connected with this is the con-
tentlon that higher wages and shorter
hours stimulate labor saving devices in
the shape of inventions and improved
business administration and that the
countries of low wages and long hours
are countries of small output. poor ma
chnery and slow business methods.
The workman wants high wages and
short hours. The employer wants large
output. The two demands are a matter
of business agreement which depends on
mutual confidence. VIII not the negotia-
tions be more successful when it is rec
ognized that both demands are fair and
honest and that in making it's demands
each side is working not only for it's own
interest. but also for the good of the ma
ton as whole?
The Apprenticeship Question. i
Next the apprentice question was ar
gued.
In limiting the number of journeymen
there ara two objects in view-to limit
numbers and to give each journeyman an
all around education in the trade. Both
of these objects tend apparently to re-
strict output. With the modern increas-
ing Specialize ton the employer does not
need all around men and cannot afford to
spare the time of his foreman and work
men to teach the apprentices for three OF
four years the several branches of the
do fho hnvy 0irh
pert and speedy in one operation in six
months the union does not allow him to
specialize until he has passed his appren-
tceship. Apart from the question OF
wages. does the workman who spends
three years in learning trade and is
then assigned permanently to an opera
ton which he might have mastered with
great speed in six months does such a
workman turn out less production than
he would If he had specialized from the
first? Ii so. do his greater versatility
and superior quality of work as an all
around man compensate the employer fol
the time and expense Of teaching him the |
entire trade? The Individual employer |
probably says no. if we may judge from |
the large proportion of workmen who |
learn their trade in country towns, where |
competition is less strenuous. and then
seek the cities for journeymen's wages.
Apprentices might learn their trade In |
trade schools. but this would take OF the |
limita ton on numbers which the union |
requires in order to maintain union wages |
The uppermost questions in this matter
therefore, are these Are high wages de- |
sirable, and, II desirable, can they be
maintained IL the limits on apprentices |
are removed? Also is an all around edu'
cation in the trade an advantage to the
modern form Of specialized industry. ana
IL 80, can this be secured by other means
than apprenticeship?
In conclusion Professor Commons
pleaded for a better understanding be-
tween employer and employed. They
ought, he said, to discuss their griev'
ances and arrange for an agreement
fair to both The present conference
was for the purpose of bringing this
about. Could it not, he asked, raise the
question to high level of discussion
and lay down sound principles that
would lead to it's solution?